This inspection took place on 5 and 6 December 2017. This was the first inspection at the home since registration with the Care Quality Commission in December 2016.

Paradise House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and 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 home provides accommodation and personal care for up to 39 people, including the elderly and people living with dementia. At the time of this inspection there were 32 people living at the home.

The service was managed by a registered manager who had been registered since April 2017. 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.

We found that there were appropriate policies and procedures in place for the safe management of people’s medicines and that people received their medicines as prescribed by health care professionals.

Equipment used in the home was checked and regularly serviced but we found an unsafe practice around the use of bed rails for one person that the registered manager and provider resolved during the inspection. This has led to a recommendation in the ‘safe’ section of this report.

The service had taken appropriate action where people lacked the capacity to make decisions about their care and needed to be deprived of their liberty to keep them safe. We found evidence that where people lacked the capacity to make decisions about their care, their relatives had been consulted to help ensure any decisions made were in the individual’s best interests.

Proper records were kept around essential items of care, action had been taken to support people with sufficient numbers of well-trained staff and checks were being made to ensure that the service operated effectively.

People using the service said they felt safe and that staff treated them well. There were enough staff on duty and deployed throughout the home to meet people’s care and support needs. Safeguarding adult’s procedures were robust and staff understood how to safeguard people they supported. There was a whistle-blowing procedure available and staff said they would use it if they needed to.

Recruitment checks took place before staff started work but some issues around checks of previous employers were noted that the provider acted upon and resolved during the inspection.

We found that people and their relatives, where appropriate, had been involved in planning for their care needs. Care plans and risk assessments provided clear information and guidance for staff on how to support people using the service with their needs. There was a range of appropriate activities available for people to enjoy. People and their relatives knew about the home’s complaint’s procedure and said they were confident their complaints would be fully investigated and action taken if necessary.

People told us they enjoyed the meals they received. They were provided with a nutritionally balanced diet that catered for their dietary needs and preferences.

The registered manager and provider conducted regular checks to make sure people were receiving appropriate care and support. The registered manager took into account the views of people using the service, their relatives and staff through meetings and surveys. The results were analysed and action was taken to make improvements at the home. Staff said they enjoyed working at the home and received appropriate training and good support from the registered manager and provider.

Checks were in place to ensure that fire safety arrangements were robust and related equipment was in working order. Fire alarm tests and drills and ha