Napier Lodge provides care and support for a maximum of 17 people who may live with dementia, a physical disability and/or sensory impairment. Napier Lodge is situated in a residential area of Blackpool close to the Pleasure Beach and other local amenities. All bedrooms offer single room accommodation and communal areas consisted of three lounges, a dining room and rear garden.

At the last inspection on 05 August 2014, the service was rated ‘Good’. At this inspection, we found the service remained ‘Good’.

We found high standards of cleanliness at Napier Lodge. One person told us, “It’s so clean and tidy. I feel comfortable living here because of that.” Other people and relatives added they felt safe whilst living at the home. We saw evidence staff received training in safeguarding people from abuse or poor practice. Furthermore, people’s environmental and personal care safety was monitored by robust risk assessment systems.

Staff files contained evidence the registered manager had required documents to reduce the risk of recruiting unsuitable staff. People and staff we spoke with said there were sufficient staffing numbers to meet care requirements. One staff member said they had time to chat with those who lived at the home and added, “We have enough carers to care for people.” The registered manager worked with external organisations to develop their workforce. Another staff member confirmed, “We definitely get enough training.”

The registered manager undertook regular medication audits, completed associated risk assessments and provided staff with relevant training. We observed staff administered medicines safely. One person told us, “I get my medication right. It’s important to me because it helps me sleep and the staff have never failed to give me my tablets.”

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.

Those who lived at the home said they enjoyed their meals and had a choice of what to eat. One person told us, “The food is fantastic. It’s all home cooked and we can have what we want.” The registered manager had effective systems to protect people from the risk of malnutrition.

We observed staff supported people with patience, compassion and a friendly attitude. They and their relatives told us staff involved them in every aspect of their support and care planning. A staff member explained, “You’ve got to chat with the residents whilst you’re caring for them, involve them in it so we’re working together.” This enabled people to feel relaxed, at home and to have meaningful lives. A person who lived at Napier Lodge told us, “I’m as happy as a pig in muck here.”

Care records we looked at were detailed and individualised to people’s requirements. This information was then transferred to care plans and we observed staff followed agreed support in practice. This ensured responsive care planning matched people’s ongoing needs.

People and their relatives said the management team proactively sought their feedback about the quality of care and the home’s development. This was underpinned by regular quality audits to monitor everyone’s safety and welfare. We found the registered manager acted quickly to address any identified concerns to enhance people’s wellbeing.

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and to pilot a new inspection process being introduced by CQC which looks at the overall quality of the service.

The inspection was unannounced.

Napier Lodge is a residential care home situated in the South Shore area of Blackpool. The home provides care for up to 17 people. There are 17 single rooms, 13 of which have en-suite facilities. There is a passenger lift providing access to the upper floors.

There was a registered manager in place at the home. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider.

Throughout the inspection we spoke with eight people who used the service, five relatives and two community professionals. We received very good feedback from people and all those we spoke with expressed satisfaction with the service provided at Napier Lodge.

People told us that they experienced safe and effective care from care workers who treated them with kindness and respect. People expressed satisfaction with daily life at the home and were pleased with the arrangements in areas such as mealtimes, activities and visiting.

We were told that the manager and staff at the home were approachable and welcoming of people’s views about their own care or the service as a whole.

We found that staff at the home had a good understanding of the needs of people who used the service. Staff were aware of risks to people’s safety and wellbeing and what action was required to maintain their safety.

Staff took time to get to know individual people who used the service and the things that were important to them. As a result, people received care which was centred on their individual needs and wishes.

The manager and staff were able to identify and address the health care needs of people who used the service and worked in a positive manner with community health care professionals to help ensure people received the right care and support.

The manager ensured there were adequate numbers of suitably skilled staff on duty to meet people’s needs safely at all times. Staff received a good level of training and support to ensure they maintained and developed their skills.

The manager had systems in place to monitor all aspects of quality within the service and identify risks to the health and safety of people who used the service. Where issues were identified the manager took appropriate action to ensure they were addressed.

People who used the service, their relatives and staff described an open and transparent culture within which, they were encouraged to express their views and share any concerns. People were also confident that any issues they did raise, would be dealt with in an appropriate manner by the manager.

We looked at the care plans and found they had recorded information to ensure the people they supported were receiving the appropriate levels of care. We spent time with people who lived in the home, observed their care and support and spoke with relatives. We saw that people were treated with respect and dignity.

Infection control audits were in place and we found the bedrooms, bathrooms and toilet areas to be clean and tidy. Recent staff training courses included infection control, the safe administration of medication and Dementia Awareness. One member of staff told us,” It is brilliant, we are listened to and we can discuss things with the manager.”

People we spoke with told us communication with the manager was good. They told us they felt confident to talk to the manger and staff regarding their views about the care provided. One relative told us,” The staff are wonderful. The home was recommended to us by a friend.” There were a range of audits and systems in place to monitor the quality of the service being provided.