This inspection took place on 20 and 21 June 2018 and was unannounced. This meant the staff and the provider did not know we would be visiting. This was the first inspection of the service following the change in registration to a new provider for this location. Although the registration of the provider had changed, the service had the same staff and people living there remained the same.

Bannatyne Lodge is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Bannatyne Lodge accommodates up to 50 older people with residential and nursing care needs. On the day of our inspection there were 41 people using the service.

The home had a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The provider did not have effective procedures in place for managing the maintenance of the premises and records were not always up to date. Appropriate health and safety checks were not always carried out.

The provider had audits in place to measure the quality of the service however some of the audits had failed to successfully identify the deficits we found in the service.

The provider had an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place and carried out relevant checks when they employed staff however the recruitment procedures for volunteers needed to be more robust.

Care records showed people’s needs were assessed before they started using the service. Most care plans were written in a person-centred way and risk assessments were in place but were not always evaluated regularly. Person-centred is about ensuring the person is at the centre of any care or support and their individual wishes, needs and choices are taken into account. Care plans were in place that recorded people’s plans and wishes for their end of life care.

People who used the service and their relatives were complimentary about the standard of care at Bannatyne Lodge. Staff treated people with dignity and respect and helped to maintain people’s independence by encouraging them to care for themselves where possible.

The home was clean, spacious and suitable for the people who used the service. Accidents and incidents were appropriately recorded.

There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty in order to meet the needs of people who used the service. Staff were supported to provide care to people who used the service through a range of mandatory and specialised training, supervision and appraisal. Staff said they felt supported by the registered manager.

The registered manager understood their responsibilities with regard to safeguarding and staff had been trained in safeguarding vulnerable adults. Appropriate arrangements were in place for the safe management and administration of medicines.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

People were protected from the risk of poor nutrition and staff were aware of people’s nutritional needs. People had access to healthcare services and received ongoing healthcare support.

Activities were arranged for people who used the service based on their likes and interests and to help meet their social needs, in the home and within the local community.

The provider had an effective complaints procedure in place and people who used the service and their relatives were aware of how to make a complaint.

People who used the service, relatives and staff were regularly consulted about the quality of the service through meetings and surveys.

Duri