The White House provides accommodation and personal care for up to 46 younger and older people who are living with dementia and other mental health illnesses. There were 45 people living at the home at the time of this inspection. The home is comprised of the main house and three purpose built interconnecting units, each with its own unit manager and staff team.

The service is overseen by the owner/provider and the registered manager. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People felt safe living at The White House and they were very much at the heart of the service. We received consistent outstanding feedback from people’s families and health professionals. Health professionals felt the service went the extra mile and were extremely experienced at looking after people living with dementia. People received excellent care that was based around their individual needs and that ensured care was personalised and responsive.

Staff working at The White House understood the needs of people using the service and supported people in an exceptionally personalised way. Staff knew people well and we saw that care was provided respectfully and sensitively, taking into account people’s different needs.

The home was designed to create a suitable environment for people living with dementia. People’s wellbeing and independence had been enhanced by the environment. We received outstanding feedback about the gardens and building around which people were able to move freely and without any restrictions. This ensured people had a meaningful life and created a relaxing and calm atmosphere around the home.

The home had introduced its own pub called ‘Kev’s Corner’. People were very happy with the pub which was used to provide many activities and opportunities for social interaction.

The home was responsive to people’s needs and wishes. People were able to choose what activities they took part in and suggest other activities they would like to complete. The registered manager developed and promoted community involvement within the home. Regular trips in the community were arranged twice a week, where people could choose where to visit.

Relevant recruitment checks were conducted before staff started working at The White House to make sure they were of good character and had the necessary skills. Staff had received training in safeguarding adults and knew how to identify, prevent and report abuse. There were enough staff to keep people safe.

The risks to people were minimized through risk assessments. There were plans in place for foreseeable emergencies and fire safety checks were carried out.

People received varied meals including a choice of fresh food and drinks. Staff were aware of people’s likes and dislikes and offered alternatives if people did not want the menu choice of the day.

People were cared for by a motivated and well trained staff team, who always put people first. Staff had the specialist knowledge and skills required to meet people’s needs living with dementia.

The home had thought of creative and productive ways to deliver exceptional dementia care. The registered manager had organised a mobile virtual dementia tour at the home which impacted on how staff communicated with people living with dementia.

The home had received an award for being a pet friendly home and people and their families gained great comfort from interacting with the animals at the home.

Special days were held on each unit which provided people the opportunity to choose something they would really like to do for the day. Some people chose to visit somewhere while others liked to be treated in the home.

Staff received regular support and received regular one

We spoke with seven people who used the service and six visitors, the Provider, Registered Manager, three of the management team and five members of the care staff. We also spoke with a visiting health care professional. We saw that systems were in place to gain and review consent from people who used the service, and to act on their wishes. One person who used the service told us “I was asked if I wanted to live here and I said I did. The staff always ask my consent before they do anything”.

Care and support was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare. Two visitors we spoke with said that their relative “Talks more, relates to people and makes eye contact”. They told us that they could visit at any time and said “It’s lovely to walk in and see staff with her, laughing and joking”. Another visitor told us they had been involved in their relative’s care planning and said that “Staff are extremely friendly and very caring”.

We found that appropriate arrangements were in place to protect people against the risks associated with medicines. There were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people’s needs. A person who used the service told us “I have called the staff in the night and they come so quickly. I feel very safe and happy here”. We saw that people were protected from the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care and treatment because accurate and appropriate records were maintained.

During this inspection we met all 39 people living at The White House and looked at care plans for four people. We observed people being supported by staff and spoke with five people and one relative in private. We saw that people's privacy, dignity and independence were respected and that people's views and wishes were taken into account.

All five people told us they were happy at The White House. People told us “It’s good here”. “Staff are very friendly, and welcoming to visitors, caring”. “The staff look out for people who need more support”.

Individual needs of people had been assessed and were reviewed. Care plans updated in the light of changing needs. People experienced care, treatment and support that met their needs and protected their rights.

We looked at arrangements in place for safeguarding. We found that people were protected because the provider had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent it from happening.

Staff rotas, training records, observation of staff supporting people and discussion with people demonstrated that there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs.

The provider had in place an effective system to assess and monitor the quality of service.

A relative told us “the staff are really good. They make sure I am involved. I don’t feel as though they have taken over. It’s a partnership. I feel valued, and my knowledge and opinions are valued”.

We spoke with five people who use the service and they told us that they liked living there. One person told us the home was “homely.” Another person told us: “I miss my own home but I like it here.” One relative told us: “My mother was at first anxious to be here but now seems to have settled. Staff here have gone the extra mile to make her comfortable.”

This inspection visit took place on 13 and 14 October 2014 and was unannounced.

The White House provides accommodation and personal care for up to 46 younger and older people who are living with dementia and other mental health illnesses. There were 45 people living at the home at the time of this inspection. The home is comprised of the main house and three purpose built interconnecting units, each with its own unit manager and staff team.

The service is overseen by the owner/provider and the registered manager. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Staff working at The White House understood the needs of people using the service. We saw that care was provided respectfully and sensitively, taking into account people’s different needs. Staff took account of people’s personal anxieties and worked as a team to support and reassure people in their care. People who use the service spoke appreciatively and positively of the staff and the care they received.

Throughout the inspection we observed examples of creative and personalised practice. We saw staff use smart technology to support people to have freedom to move around the different parts of the service safely and without restriction. The staff worked as a team to share information and problem solve. The provider and registered manager had built up good links with relevant professionals and organisations to support and implement good practice within the service.

Staff received a comprehensive induction and training programme to support them to meet people’s individual needs. Staff had received training to support them with specific conditions and to understand and implement relevant legislation such as The Mental Capacity Act 2005. They all fully understood their roles and responsibilities as well as the vision and values of the service. Staff were supported to make sure they provided safe and effective care to the people using the service.

The provider had employed skilled staff and undertaken all necessary checks prior to them commencing employment. Staff were supported to take on roles such as ‘champions’ to share and implement best practice and promote discussion on how the service could improve. Staff were able to influence the running of the service through making suggestions for changes.

All staff were involved in the monitoring of the quality of the service. The provider and registered manager had clear systems in place to assess the quality of the service and to implement and track progress with improvements. People who use the service were encouraged to be actively involved in the running of the service. The provider demonstrated a drive to continually improve the service and the experience of people in their care.