The Manor House Knaresborough provides residential accommodation and personal care for up to 75 older people, including people living with dementia. The service was registered in December 2015. Accommodation, care and support is provided in a modern, purpose built building, over three floors. At the time of our inspection there were 65 people at the service.

This comprehensive inspection took place on 21 December 2016 and was unannounced. This was the first inspection of the service since registration. The inspection took place over one day.

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.

People told us they felt safe at the service. Staff were confident about how to protect people from harm and what they would do if they had any safeguarding concerns. There were good systems in place to make sure that people were supported to take medicines safely and as prescribed. Risks to people had been assessed and plans put in place to keep risks to a minimum.

There was a sufficient number of staff on duty to make sure people’s needs were met. Recruitment procedures made sure staff had the required skills and were of suitable character and background.

Staff told us they enjoyed working at the service and that there was good team work. Staff were supported through training and team meetings to help them carry out their roles effectively. Staff were led by an open and accessible management team.

The registered manager and staff were aware of the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). DoLS are put in place to protect people where their freedom of movement is restricted. 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.

People told us staff were caring and that their privacy and dignity were respected. Care plans were person centred and showed that individual preferences were taken into account. Care plans gave clear directions to staff about the support people required to have their needs met.

People were provided with sufficient amounts of food and drink to maintain their health and well-being. People were supported to access external services, such as a doctor, when needed.

People’s needs were regularly reviewed and appropriate changes were made to the support they received. People had opportunities to make comments about the service and how it could be improved.

The environment was clean, modern and spacious. Consideration had been given to people living with dementia in the way the furniture and fittings were organised.

The registered manager had good oversight of the service and had a clear vision for the future. The registered manager had made improvements at the service since they started in post. There were systems in place to look at the quality of the service provided and action was taken where shortfalls were identified.