We undertook an unannounced inspection of Lincroft Meadow Care Home on 18 October 2018. People in nursing homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The service is registered to provide nursing care for up to 70 older people, including people living with dementia. On the day of our inspection 28 people were living at the home.

There was a registered manager in post. 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People were safe. There were sufficient staff to meet people's needs and staff had time to spend with people. People’s nutritional needs were met and staff supported people to maintain a healthy diet. Where people had specific dietary needs, these were met.

Risk assessments were carried out and promoted positive risk taking, which enabled people to live their lives as they chose. People received their medicines safely. Records relating to risks and medicines were accurate and up to date.

The service provided support in a caring way. Staff supported people with kindness and compassion and went the extra mile to provide support at a personal level. Staff knew people well, respected them as individuals and treated them with dignity whilst providing emotional support. People and their relatives, were fully involved in decisions about their care needs and the support they required to meet those individual needs.

There was a positive culture at the service that valued people, relatives and staff and promoted a caring ethos that put people at the forefront of everything they did.

People received effective care from staff who had the skills and knowledge to support them and meet their individual needs. People were supported to have choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the procedures in the service supported this practice. People were supported to access health professionals when needed and staff worked closely with people's GPs to ensure their health and well-being was monitored.

People had access to information about their care and staff supported people in their preferred method of communication.

The service was responsive to people's needs and ensured people were supported in a personalised way. People's changing needs were responded to promptly. People had access to a variety of activities that met their individual needs.

The registered manager monitored the quality of the service and looked for continuous improvement. There was a clear vision to deliver high-quality care and support and promote a positive culture that was person-centred, open, inclusive and empowering which achieved good outcomes for people.