About the service:

• Wantsum Lodge is a residential care home which provided personal care to people aged 65 and over.

• Wantsum Lodge is situated in the town of Ramsgate.

• At the time of the inspection the service was supporting 38 people.

• For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

People’s experience of using this service:

•One person told us, “I feel my relative is totally safe here. Before she came here there was a problem of mobility and becoming unsteady. I don’t worry about her at all now.” Another person told us, “Staff here are fantastic,

• People had good relationships with staff, who were knowledgeable of their physical and emotional needs, as well as likes, dislikes and interests. Staff were responsive to changes in people's health needs. If needed, they sought advice from relevant professionals.

• People felt safe living at the service.

• People were encouraged to be as independent as possible.

• People felt comfortable raising any complaints with staff and the deputy manager.

• People were fully involved in their care planning and received information in a way that they understood.

• People were protected from the spread of infection and medicines were stored and managed safely.

• People were asked feedback about the service they received.

• People found the deputy manager approachable and supportive.

Rating at last inspection: This service was rated, “Good” at the last inspection. (7 July 2016)

Why we inspected: This was a planned comprehensive inspection to check the service remained Good.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor the service through the information we receive. We will carry out another scheduled inspection to make sure the service continues to maintain a Good rating.

This was an unannounced inspection carried out on 01 June 2016. Wantsum Lodge is in a residential area in Ramsgate. The service provides person centred care and support for up to 41 older people, some of whom may be living with dementia. The service is built over four floors and has good transport links to local towns. On the day of the inspection there were 40 people living at Wantsum Lodge.

The service is run by a registered manager who was present on the day of the inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People said they felt safe living at the service. Staff understood how to protect people from the risk of abuse and the action they needed to take keep people safe. Staff were confident to whistle blow to the registered manager or other organisations if they had any concerns and were confident that the appropriate action would be taken.

Risks to people’s safety were identified, assessed and managed. Assessments identified people’s specific needs, and showed how risks could be minimised. Accidents and incidents were recorded, analysed and discussed with staff to reduce the risks of them happening again.

Recruitment processes were in place to check that staff were of good character and safe to work with people. Information had been requested about staff’s employment history, including gaps in employment. There was a comprehensive training programme in place to make sure staff had the skills and knowledge to carry out their roles effectively. Refresher training was provided regularly. People were consistently supported by sufficient numbers of staff who knew them well.

People received their medicines safely and people told us they received their medicines when they needed them. People’s medicines were reviewed regularly by their doctor to make sure they were still suitable.

The registered manager and staff understood how the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 was applied to ensure decisions made for people without capacity were only made in their best interests. CQC monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care homes. These safeguards protect the rights of people using services by ensuring that if there are any restrictions to their freedom and liberty, these have been agreed by the local authority as being required to protect the person from harm. The registered manager had submitted applications in line with guidance.

People felt informed about, and involved in, their healthcare and were empowered to have as much choice and control as possible. People were able to make choices about how they lived their lives, including how they spent their time. Staff had received training on the MCA and understood the key requirements of the MCA and how it impacted on the people they supported. They put these into practice effectively, and ensured that people’s human and legal rights were protected.

The registered manager and staff carried out regular environmental and health and safety checks to ensure that the environment was safe and that equipment was in good working order. Emergency plans were in place so if an emergency happened, like a fire, the staff knew what to do.

People were provided with a choice of healthy food that they told us they liked. When people were not eating enough they were seen by a dietician or their doctor. Staff followed the guidance given when fortified drinks and diets were required.

People were supported to maintain good health and had access to health care professionals when needed. Staff had strong working relationships with health professionals, such as, GPs and the community nursing team.

People were happy