We carried out this inspection on 9 and 10 January 2017 and this was an unannounced inspection. The service was first registered with Avery Homes (Nelson) Limited in November 2014. This was the first inspection since that registration.

Lavender Lodge Nursing Home is registered to provide personal and nursing care for a maximum of 66 people. At the time of the inspection there were 60 people living in the service. There are three floors to the service. Hyacinth on the ground floor and Primrose on the second floor primarily provide nursing care, and Jasmine on the first floor provided care and treatment to people living with dementia.

A registered manager was in post at the time of our inspection. 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 relatives said they felt the service was safe. Staff received training in safeguarding adults and knew how to report actual or suspected abuse. The service ensured there were sufficient staff on duty to meet people’s assessed needs and safe recruitment procedures were completed.

People’s risks were assessed and risk management guidance was recorded where appropriate. People were cared for in a clean, hygienic environment and the equipment used to support people was regularly serviced to ensure it was safe. People’s medicines were managed safely and a regular review of incidents and accidents was completed.

People and their relatives said the staff at the service provided effective care. The registered manager was aware of their responsibilities in regard to the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). DoLS is a framework to approve the deprivation of liberty for a person when they lack the mental capacity to consent to treatment or care and need protecting from harm. Staff were aware of how the Mental Capacity Act 2005 impacted on their work and demonstrated how they empowered people through choice.

Staff at the service received regular training to meet the needs of people. Staff were also supported through performance supervision and appraisal. People at the service were supported as required with food and drink and staff were observed supporting people when needed. People had access to relevant healthcare professionals.

People and their relatives gave very positive feedback about all aspects of the care they received at the service. The services compliments log also contained similar positive information. The staff we spoke with knew people well and we made observations that showed people were relaxed in the company of staff. We observed that people’s privacy and dignity was respected and people’s visitors were welcomed to the service. The provider invited people to comment on the service using a national website. We reviewed the website following the inspection and saw positive information had been submitted.

People and their relatives told us the service was responsive to their needs. Care records contained personalised information and care was delivered in line with people’s needs. Staff understood how to be responsive to people’s preferences and the service provided activities for people to partake in. The views of people’s relatives were sought and where required the registered manager had actioned requests. The service had a complaints process which people and their relatives felt they could use and would be listened to. There were systems to ensure that key information was communicated to relevant healthcare professionals and staff.

People, their relatives and staff spoke very positively about the registered manager and the leadership of the service. Staff told of receiving a high level of support and guidance from the registered manager and it was evident there w