The Cambridge Care Home provides accommodation and personal care to up to 90 older people, some of whom are living with dementia. The service is set over two floors and has various facilities available, including a hair and nail bar, cinema room and a library.

This comprehensive inspection took place on 24 October 2017 and was unannounced. At the time of this inspection care and support was provided to 84 people. This was the first inspection since the provider Bupa Care Homes Registered as the provider in January 2017.

The provider is required to have a registered manager as one of their conditions of registration.

A registered manager was in post at the time of the inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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 told us they felt safe and secure living at The Cambridge Care Home. We found that staff were knowledgeable in recognising signs of potential abuse and knew how to report concerns both within the organisation and externally.

Assessments were undertaken to identify any risks to people who received a service and to the staff who supported them. There were enough members of staff available to meet people's individual support and care needs at all times. Care plans were clear and gave staff enough information to meet people's needs

People were supported to maintain good health and had access to health and social care professionals when necessary. People received appropriate support from staff to enable them to take their medicines.

People and their relatives knew how to raise concerns.

People received care and support from a staff team that fully understood people's health and care needs and who had the skills and experience to meet them.

We found that people who used the service were treated with dignity and respect and their privacy was maintained. They were provided with a healthy balanced diet that met their individual needs.

People were involved in the planning of their care and we found that people had access to independent advocacy services. There was an activities programme in place which covered seven days a week.

Safe and effective recruitment practices were followed to make sure that all staff were of good character, and were suitable to work in a care home environment as well as being fit for the roles they were being employed to carry out. Staff records confirmed checks had been made which ensured it was safe for them to work with vulnerable adults before a position was offered to them.

Staff were well supported by the management team and received an induction from senior staff when they first started working at the service. They received on-going training and support to enable them to perform their roles effectively. Staff had regular individual supervision meetings, team meetings and had an annual appraisal to review their development and performance.

There was an effective quality assurance system in place to identify any areas for improvement. Staff and people living in the service were encouraged to be involved in the running of the service and to give their views on any improvements needed.