Frethey House can accommodate a maximum of 41 people. The home provides general nursing care to older people. Registered nurses are on duty 24 hours a day. The home is managed over two floors. There are a number of large communal areas where family and friends can spend time together. At the time of the inspection there were 39 people living there.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated Good.

People remained safe at the home. People told us there were adequate numbers of suitable staff to meet their needs and to spend time socialising with them. Risk assessments were carried out to enable people to retain their independence and receive care with minimum risk to themselves or others. People received their medicines safely.

People continued to receive effective care because staff had the skills and knowledge required to effectively support them. People’s healthcare needs were monitored by the nurses and care staff and people said they had access to healthcare professionals according to their individual needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The home continued to provide a caring service to people. People told us that staff were kind and patient. A visitor told us, “The staff are brilliant, always polite and very respectful. They look after [relative] very well.” People, or their representatives, were involved in decisions about the care and support they received.

The service remained responsive to people’s individual needs. Care and support was personalised to each person which ensured they were able to make choices about their day to day lives. Complaints were fully investigated and responded to.

The service continued to be well led. People told us the management within the home was open and approachable. The registered manager and provider sought people’s views to make sure people were at the heart of any changes within the home. One person told us the registered manager was, “Always around will have a chat and laugh”. The registered manager and provider had monitoring systems which enabled them to identify good practices and areas of improvement.

This inspection took place on 14 & 15 January 2015. This was an unannounced inspection.

Frethey House can accommodate a maximum of 41 people. The home provides general nursing care to older people. Registered nurses are on duty 24 hours a day.

At the last inspection carried out on 16 May 2013 we did not identify any concerns with the care provided to people.

Since our last inspection the registered manager had left their employment at the home. This was in September 2014. A new manager had been in post since October 2014 and they submitted an application to the Commission for registered manager in December 2014. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People and their visitors were very positive about the care they received and of the staff who supported them. One visitor told us “All of the staff are so kind and they know about everything that is important to my [relative].” Another visitor said “You couldn’t get better care. All the staff are so kind and thoughtful. They certainly respect my [relative’s] wishes.” People appeared very comfortable with the staff who supported them. The atmosphere in the home was cheerful and relaxed. Staff spoke about people in a caring and compassionate manner.

People were cared for by staff who knew them well. There were systems in place to monitor the skills, knowledge and competencies of all staff. Staff told us they felt well supported and received the training needed to care for the people who lived at the home.

People told us they could see a doctor or other health care professional when they needed to. The home was responsive to any changes in people’s health and well-being. Staff followed appropriate procedures for the management and administration of people’s medicines which minimised risks to the people who lived at the home.

People were provided with opportunities to express a view on all aspects of life at the home. There were regular meetings for people and their representatives. There was also a suggestion box where people could make suggestions anonymously if they wished. The home provided a variety of activities and people were able to choose whether or not they joined in with them.

There were systems in place which helped to minimise any risks to the people who lived at the home. For example, before staff were offered employment, rigorous checks were carried out to make sure they were suitable to care for vulnerable people. Equipment was regularly serviced to make sure it remained suitable and safe to use. Health and safety audits were carried out and people’s care plans were regularly reviewed to make sure they reflected their current needs.