Watson House provides care and support for a maximum of nine people who live with a physical disability. The home is situated in a residential area close to Blackpool promenade and other amenities. It offers nine single bedrooms over two floors, each of which have en suite vanity units. In addition, there is a dining room and communal lounge.

Watson House was newly registered on 05 August 2016. Consequently, this was their first inspection.

During this inspection, people we spoke with told us they felt safe and comfortable at the home. The management team had appropriate systems and completed assessments to minimise the risks of harm or injury to people. When we discussed managing and reporting safeguarding incidents with staff, we found they had a good awareness.

Staff and people who lived at Watson House said staffing levels were sufficient to meet their requirements. One person commented, “I think they have enough staff. We don’t have to wait for anything.” We also looked at a newly recruited staff member’s file and found required documentation was obtained to protect people from unsuitable staff. Those who lived at the home told us they found staff were experienced and effective when they supported them.

We noted staff gave people their medicines on time and with a safe approach. We reviewed a sample of related records and saw there were no gaps and staff correctly recorded information. One person said, “I worry about my medication because I get confused about it. I’m really glad they do it for me. It keeps me safe because they know what they’re doing.”

People were offered a variety of meal options, such as three choices at lunch. They told us they enjoyed their meals and had ample portions. Risk assessments were completed regularly to monitor people against the risks of malnutrition.

The registered manager ensured staff had training about the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Where people were deprived of their liberty to safeguard them, we found up-to-date records were in place. The registered manager and staff ensured good standards in obtaining and recording people’s consent to their care.

We found care records contained evidence people were involved in their care planning. Staff demonstrated a caring and respectful approach to those they supported. One person who lived at Watson House commented, “The staff are kind and caring.”

Staff completed and regularly reviewed a variety of assessments to assist people to maintain their self-reliance as much as possible. One person told us, “They do as much as they can to help me keep my independence.” They checked each person’s backgrounds and preferences to gain a better understanding of who they were and what they needed.

Staff, people and visitors told us the home had strong leadership. This was underpinned by regular auditing processes to ensure ongoing oversight of safety and quality assurance. The provider had suitable arrangements to obtain feedback from staff, people, relatives and external healthcare professionals about the quality of care.