Redbricks is registered to provide personal care for nine people. The home is situated on the sea front in Little Bispham and comprises of the following accommodation, open plan lounge/dining room, kitchen and laundry facilities. Bedrooms are located on the ground and first floors and comprises of nine single rooms with ensuite facilities. A passenger lift is available to facilitate access between the ground and first floor. At the time of our inspection visit there were nine people who lived at the home.

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

Although a number of people had limited verbal communication and were unable to converse with us, we were able to speak with two people who lived at the home. They told us they were happy and supported by staff who cared for them and treated them well. One person said, “The staff are really caring people and I am well looked after.”

We observed staff providing support to people throughout our inspection visit. We saw they were kind and patient and treated people with dignity and respect.

The service had systems in place to record safeguarding concerns, accidents and incidents and take necessary action as required. Staff had received safeguarding training and understood their responsibilities to report unsafe care or abusive practices.

Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of harm to people during the delivery of their care. These had been kept under review and were relevant to the care provided.

Staff had been recruited safely, appropriately trained and supported. They had skills, knowledge and experience required to support people with their care and social needs.

The service had sufficient staffing levels in place to provide support people required. We saw staff had the time to sit with people and provide social stimulation.

Medication procedures at the home were safe. Staff responsible for the administration of medicines had received training to ensure they had the competency and skills required. Medicines were safely kept with appropriate arrangements for storing in place.

We looked around the building and found it had been maintained, was clean and hygienic and a safe place for people to live. We found equipment had been serviced and maintained as required.

The design of the building and facilities provided were appropriate for the care and support provided.

The service had safe infection control procedures in place and staff had received infection control training. Staff wore protective clothing such as gloves and aprons when needed. This reduced the risk of cross infection.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

Staff knew people they supported and provided a personalised service in a caring and professional manner. Care plans were organised and had identified care and support people required. We found they were informative about care people had received.

People told us they were happy with the variety and choice of meals available to them. We saw regular snacks and drinks were provided between meals to ensure people received adequate nutrition and hydration.

We saw people who lived at the home had access to healthcare professionals and their healthcare needs had been met. Two visiting healthcare professionals spoke highly about the care provided by the registered manager and her staff.

People told us staff were caring towards them. Staff we spoke with understood the importance of high standards of care to give people meaningful lives.

People’s care and support was planned with them. People told us they had been consulted and listened to about how their care would be delivered.

The service had information with regards to support from an external advocate should this be required by them.

The service had a

This inspection visit took place on 09 September 2015 and was unannounced.

At the last inspection on 18 June 2014 the service was meeting the requirements of the regulations that were inspected at that time.

Redbricks is a care home registered to accommodate up to nine people. The home is situated on the sea front in Little Bispham and comprises of the following accommodation, open plan lounge/dining room, kitchen and laundry facilities. Bedrooms are located on the ground and first floors and comprises of nine single rooms with ensuite facilities. A passenger lift is available to facilitate access between the ground and first floor. At the time of our inspection visit there were nine people who lived at the home.

There was a registered manager in place. 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.

Suitable arrangements were in place to protect people from abuse and unsafe care. Staff had received safeguarding training and understood their responsibilities to report any unsafe care or abusive practices. People we spoke with told us they felt safe and their rights and dignity were respected. One person we spoke with said, “I am happy living here and feel safe. The staff are very kind.”

The registered manager had systems in place to record safeguarding concerns, accidents and incidents and take necessary action as required.

The registered manager understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) (MCA and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). This meant they were working within the law to support people who may lack capacity to make their own decisions.

We found sufficient staffing levels were in place to provide the support people required. We saw the registered manager and staff member could undertake tasks supporting people without feeling rushed.

We found medication procedures in place at the home were safe. Staff responsible for the administration of medicines had received training to ensure they had the competency and skills required. Medicines were safely kept and appropriate arrangements for storing were in place.

The home was well maintained, clean and hygienic when we visited. No offensive odours were observed by the Inspector. The people we spoke with said they were happy with the standard of accommodation provided.

The staff member spoken with was positive about working for the provider and felt well supported. They said they received regular training to make sure they had the skills and knowledge to meet people’s needs.

People were happy with the variety and choice of meals available to them. Regular snacks and drinks were available to them between meals to ensure they received adequate nutrition and hydration.

People who lived at the home had freedom of movement around the home. They were involved in decision making about their personal care needs and the running of the home. We saw no restrictions on people’s liberty during our visit.

The registered manager used a variety of methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service. These included annual satisfaction surveys, staff and relative’s meetings’ and care reviews. We found people were satisfied with the service they were receiving.

During this inspection the Inspector gathered evidence to help answer our five key questions; Is the service caring? Is the service responsive? Is the service safe? Is the service effective? Is the service well led?

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, speaking with people using the service, their relatives, staff supporting them and from looking at records. We also spoke with Blackpool council’s contracts monitoring team and Healthwatch Blackpool who are an independent consumer champion for health and social care.

If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary please read our full report.

Is the service safe?

People told us they felt safe and their rights and dignity was respected. They told us they were receiving safe and appropriate care which was meeting their needs. Safeguarding procedures were in place and staff understood how to safeguard people they supported. The home had policies and procedures in relation to the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. Relevant staff had been trained to understand when an application should be made and in how to submit one. This meant that people would be safeguarded as required.

The service was safe, clean and hygienic. One person we spoke with said, “The place is always spotless and smells fresh. I am very happy with the standard of cleanliness in place”. Equipment had been maintained and serviced regularly ensuring people were not put at unnecessary risk.

Is the service effective?

There was an advocacy service available if people needed it, this meant that when required people could access additional support. People’s health and care needs had been assessed with them, and they were involved in writing their plans of care. Specialist dietary needs had been identified where required. People said their care plans were up to date and reflected their current needs. The premises had been sensitively adapted to meet the needs of people with physical impairments. One person visiting the home confirmed that they were able to see their relative in private and that visiting times were flexible.

Care plans had risk assessments completed to identify the potential risk of accidents and harm. Staff members we spoke with confirmed guidance was provided to ensure they provided safe and appropriate care. We found care plans were flexible, regularly reviewed for their effectiveness and changed in recognition of the changing needs of the person.

Is the service caring?

People were supported by kind and attentive staff. We saw care workers showed patience and gave encouragement when supporting people. The people we spoke with were very happy with the care being provided. One person said, “I used to live locally and always said if I needed care I wanted to come to this home. I haven’t been disappointed. The staff are all excellent and will do anything for you. I have found them so supportive since I came here. I really cannot praise them highly enough”. Care plans had been maintained recording the care and support people were receiving. Good care practices were observed and people told us they were happy with the support they were receiving.

Is the service responsive?

People spoken with said they were happy with their care and had no complaints. Records showed admissions to the home were well planned. Information about people’s care and dietary needs had been recorded. We also saw potential risks to people’s health and welfare had been identified. Guidance had been provided for staff to ensure they provided safe and appropriate care.

We saw people received regular health checks with their General Practitioner and the outcome of these visits were recorded on their care records. We found a range of activities were organised to keep people entertained. People told us they enjoyed participating in these and they had fun with staff.

Is the service well-led?

The service had quality assurance systems in place. Records showed that identified problems and opportunities to change things for the better were addressed promptly. As a result the quality of the service was continuously improving. Staff had a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities. People we spoke with said they received a good quality service at all times.

During our inspection we looked at care records, staffing levels and arrangements for meal times. We also spoke with people living at the home, the manager and staff members on duty. We did this to confirm people were supported and staffing levels were sufficient to meet people's needs. We observed care practices and saw people were treated with respect and dignity

We spoke with two people living at the home. Both said they were happy and liked the staff who supported them. One person said, “I am quite happy thank you. I have just enjoyed my breakfast and looking forward to lunch. The meals are very good”.

We found the dietary needs and preferences of people living at the home had been documented and staff were aware of these. People told us they enjoyed their meals and they were happy with their care.

We found staffing levels were adequate with an appropriate skill mix to meet the needs of people using the service. We observed the staff team providing sensitive and flexible personal care support. The staff were kind and patient and showed a good understanding of the needs of the people in their care.

During our inspection we contacted the Blackpool contracts monitoring team. They told us they currently had no concerns with the service being provided by the home.

During our inspection we looked at care and staff recruitment records. We did this to confirm people were being well supported and staff members had been recruited properly. We also spoke with family members of people living at the home and interviewed some staff members. We observed care practices and saw people were treated with respect and dignity. The people we spoke with said their relatives were receiving safe and appropriate care which was meeting their needs. Comments received included:

"We discussed my husbands needs in detail when he moved into the home. I was very happy with the whole process and was convinced he would be well looked after. I am regularly consulted about his care and kept informed about changes to his health".

"The staff are very warm and friendly and keep me constantly updated about my husbands care. My husband has settled very quickly and I am very happy with his care. I never worry about him as I know he is in safe hands".

During our inspection we contacted the Blackpool contracts monitoring team. They told us they currently had no concerns with the service being provided by the home.

People told us they can express their views and are involved in decision making about their care.

We spoke to people about their experiences living in the home and were told the staff team provided sensitive and flexible personal care support and they felt well cared for.

People told us they were happy with the standard of accommodation being provided.

“What I like about the home is that I am able to be involved in dad’s care. I am always updated about his care whenever I visit and they contact me immediately if they have any worries about him”.

“It’s very nice here. Good food and plenty of it”.

“I enjoy singing and having fun with the staff”.

“I am very happy with my dad’s care. I find the staff are very kind and helpful and I have no worries”.

“The home is always clean and smells fresh whenever I visit. I am very happy with the standard of accommodation”.