This inspection took place on 30 March 2017 and was unannounced. At our last inspection in November 2014 the service was rated as ‘Good’. At this inspection, we found the service remained ‘Good’.

Abbeydale is a 21 bedded residential home providing care for older people, including people living with dementia. On the day of the inspection, there were 20 people using the service.

The service had a 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 legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and the associated regulations on how the service is run.

People told us they were well treated at the home and risks to their safety had been identified and ways to mitigate these risks had been recorded in people’s care plans.

Staff were aware that the people they supported were vulnerable and they understood their responsibilities to keep people safe from potential abuse.

There were systems in place to ensure medicines were handled and stored securely and administered to people safely and appropriately.

The home maintained adequate staffing levels to support people.

We saw friendly, caring and supportive interactions between staff and people and staff knew the needs and preferences of the people using the service. Care plans were person centred and reviewed regularly.

People told us they enjoyed the food provided and that they were offered choices of what they wanted to eat.

People had regular access to healthcare professionals such as doctors, dentists, chiropodists and opticians.

We saw evidence of a comprehensive staff induction and on-going training programme. Staff had regular supervisions and annual appraisals. Staff were safely recruited with necessary pre-employment checks carried out.

People were supported to engage in regular activities.

Quality assurance processes were in place to monitor the quality of care delivered.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

This inspection took place on 21 November 2014 and was unannounced. When we last visited the home on the 04 July 2014 we found the service was meeting all the regulations we looked at.

Abbeydale Residential Care Home provides accommodation and personal care. Abbeydale is a 21 bedded residential home providing care for older people, including people living with dementia.

The home does not have a 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The responsible person has applied to be registered as the manager of the service. An acting manager is currently in post.

Staff knew what to do if people could not make decisions about their care needs. People were involved in decisions about their care and how their needs would be met. Risk to people was identified and how the risks could be prevented. Medicines were managed safely.

Safeguarding adults from abuse procedures were robust and staff understood how to safeguard the people they supported. Managers and staff had received training on safeguarding adults, the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. These safeguards are there to make sure that people in care homes, hospitals and supported living are looked after in a way that does not inappropriately restrict their freedom. Services should only deprive someone of their liberty when it is in the best interests of the person and there is no other way to look after them, and it should be done in a safe and correct way.

People were supported to eat and drink. Staff supported people to attend healthcare appointments and liaised with their GP and other healthcare professionals as required to meet people’s needs.

People received individualised support that met their needs. The service had systems in place to ensure that people were protected from risks associated with their support, and care was planned and delivered in ways that enhanced people’s safety and welfare according to their needs and preferences.

Assessments were undertaken to identify people’s health and support needs and any risks to people who used the service and others. Plans were in place to reduce the risks identified. Care plans were developed with people who used the service to identify how they wished to be supported.

People using the service, relatives and staff said the acting manager was approachable and supportive. Systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service and people and relatives felt confident to express any concerns, so these could be addressed.

People expressed their views and were involved in making decisions about their care and treatment. We observed staff throughout the inspection and found that they treated people with respect in the way they addressed people, by encouraging and supporting them to take part in activities, by knocking on doors before entering and allowing people to walk at their own pace when being supported.

People we spoke with told us they were happy with the care they received. One person told us: "The staff are great here. They go out of their way to help". Other people who were not so able to provide spoken views nevertheless demonstrated that they felt comfortable and familiar with the staff team and the care staff were able to demonstrate that they were familiar with people's support needs. This was demonstrated by the way staff spoke to people and in how they provided personal assistance, including during mealtimes.

On the day of the inspection there were twenty one people using the service and five staff at the home. We observed staff treating people who use this service with respect and dignity.

People who use this service told us that they were happy living at this setting. They told us that staff were kind and treated them with respect.

People who use the service were positive about the care and treatment they received at

the home. They confirmed that staff assisted them when they needed support with their care and that staff were very helpful.

People also told us they had good access to health care professionals such as doctors, district nurses, dentists and chiropodists.

Observation and conversations with people showed us that they felt safe at this home. They also told us that they felt happy to talk to staff about any issue that might occur.

People told us what it was like to live at this home and described how they were treated by staff and their involvement in making choices about their care. They also told us about the quality and choice of food and drink available. This was because this inspection was part of a themed inspection programme to assess whether older people living in care homes are treated with dignity and respect and whether their nutritional needs are met.

The inspection team was led by a Care Quality Commission (CQC) Inspector joined by an Expert by Experience; people who have experience of using services and who can provide that perspective and a practicing professional. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a specific way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk to us.

People who use the service told us that staff were kind and respected their privacy. They confirmed that staff treated them with care, respect and dignity. People were offered a choice in relation to activities, care preferences and food and drink. One person told us, “they tell you what’s on the menu and you can choose it yourself."

People told us that they attended meetings at the service and could comment on how the service was run as well as make suggestions for improvements. Minutes of meetings examined confirmed this.

People confirmed they had a choice of menu and that their religious and cultural needs were being met. People said they were provided with enough to eat and that the food provided was of good quality. One person commented, “nice food, nicely cooked."

People said they felt safe at the home and had no concerns or complaints about their care but would speak with their relatives, the manager or the staff if they needed to.

People who use the service were positive about the staff who supported them. People told us that the staff were, “nicely mannered”, “kind” and included them in decisions about their care.

All records in relation to the care and treatment of people using the service were being stored securely and were accessible to staff and people using the service when needed.

Not everyone in the home can communicate verbally so we spent time observing people who use the service to see what effect the environment and staff interactions had on peoples’ wellbeing.

People told us that staff were kind and respected their privacy.

One person commented, “They ask you about what you want to eat. You’re free to do what you want to do”. Another person commented, “I’m reasonably happy here. We are given all the things to eat and drink”.

People told us that staff would knock on their door before entering their room.

People also confirmed that they attended regular meetings with the manager to talk about any issues in the home.

We observed staff supporting people in a friendly and professional way and saw that people were being offered choice with regard to menus and activities.

We saw photos around the home of people engaging in activities and trips out of the home.

Staff we interviewed were able to give us examples of how they maintained peoples’ dignity, privacy, independence and how they offered choices to people on a daily basis.

We asked people who use the service what they thought about the care and treatment they received at the service. They generally responded positively and said they felt supported by the staff team and that they were included in decisions about their care as far as possible. One person commented, “They treat you like a human being”.

We observed that the way staff were supporting people in the home had a positive effect on their well being.

Staff we interviewed had a good understanding of the needs of the people they supported.

People who use the service indicated to us that they felt safe with the staff at the home.

Comments included, “There is no abuse. It really is a nice home” and “there’s nothing to worry about”.

People who use the service told us that they could talk to the staff if they had any concerns. One person commented, “I would talk to the lady in charge”.

Staff we interviewed were aware of the different types of abuse that can happen to people in a care setting.

Staff were also able to give us examples of signs they would look out for that may indicate a person may be being abused. Staff told us that if they ever suspected abuse was taking place they would inform the manager immediately.

People who use the service indicated that they were happy with the staff who support them. We observed friendly and supportive interactions between staff and people living at the home.

Comments about staff included, “The staff are marvellous, they are very polite” and “Staff are nice, there are no problems with them”.

We observed staff being appropriately supported by the management so that they could provide for the care needs of the people who use the service.

People who use the service were positive about the quality of care they receive at Abbeydale Residential Care Home.

Comments included, “They know what they’re doing” and “The staff are very good”.