At the last inspection in June 2015, the service was rated as Good. At this inspection in January 2018 we found the service remained Good. The inspection was unannounced.

Cavendish Care Home provides accommodation and personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement for up to 21 people. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. There were 19 people living at the service in one building which consisted of two floors.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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.

People told us they felt safe when receiving care and were involved in developing and reviewing their care plans. Systems were in place to protect people from abuse and harm and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding people. Risk assessments had been completed so that staff knew how to keep people and themselves safe.

There were sufficient staff with the right knowledge and skills to meet people’s needs and staff had been recruited safely. Staff had the competence and skills to administer medicines as prescribed and there was a system in place to protect people from the risks of infection. Incidents and accidents were recorded, reviewed and investigated and the necessary action taken.

People’s needs were holistically assessed and support delivered in line with current guidelines. Training and supervision were provided to staff in order for them to carry out their role effectively. People received a balanced diet which met their nutritional needs and there was a choice of home cooked food. People’s health needs were met as staff liaised well with health and social care professionals.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People’s end of life wishes were taken into account and reviewed regularly.

The staff were very caring, supportive and kind. They respected people's privacy and dignity. The service was responsive to people’s needs and wishes as they listened and involved them in their care. People's sensory needs were taken into account and the service was meeting the Accessible Information Standard by ensuring people’s communication needs were met. Positive relationships were maintained and people were engaged in social and leisure activities of their choice, which provided stimulation and an interest in their own wellbeing.

There was an effective complaints procedure in place and people and their relatives knew how to make a complaint should they need to. Systems were in place to regularly assess and monitor the quality of the service provided. Feedback from people, their relatives and staff was encouraged with regular contact and reviews of people's care being very positive. This feedback was used to make ongoing improvements to the service.

The inspection took place on 24 June 2015 and was unannounced. Cavendish Care Homes Limited provides accommodation and personal care and support for up to 21 older people, some who may be living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 21 people who lived in the service.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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.

The service was meeting the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Appropriate mental capacity assessments and best interest decisions had been undertaken by relevant professionals. This ensured that the decision was taken in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005, DoLS and associated Codes of Practice. The Act, Safeguards and Codes of Practice are in place to protect the rights of adults by ensuring that if there is a need for restrictions on their freedom and liberty these are assessed and decided by appropriately trained professionals.

The service had appropriate systems in place to keep people safe, and staff followed these guidelines when they supported people. There were sufficient numbers of care staff available to meet people’s care needs and people received their medication as prescribed and on time. The provider also had a robust recruitment process in place to protect people from the risk of avoidable harm.

People’s health needs were managed by staff with input from relevant health care professionals. Staff supported people to have sufficient food and drink that met their individual needs. People’s privacy and dignity was respected at all times.

People and their relatives were involved in making decisions about their care and support. Care plans reflected people’s care and support requirements accurately and people’s healthcare needs were well managed. Staff interacted with people in a caring, respectful and professional manner, and were skilled at responding to people’s care and support needs.

People were encouraged to take part in interests and hobbies that they enjoyed. They were supported to keep in contact with family and develop new friendships so that they could enjoy social activities outside the service. The manager and staff provided people with opportunities to express their views and there were systems in place to manage concerns and complaints.

There was an open culture and the management team demonstrated good leadership skills. Staff were enthusiastic about their roles and they were able to express their views. The management team had systems in place to check and audit the quality of the service. The views of people and their relatives were sought and feedback was used to make improvements and develop the service.

We inspected the Cavendish Care Home on 29 August 2013.

We gathered some very positive comments from people living at the home. One person told us: "I couldn’t wish for better treatment, the staff are all lovely." Another person told us: “The staff are always cheerful, they take good care of me.”

We checked and found that people gave consent before receiving care during the inspection. We saw that staff spoke kindly to people living at the home and there was a calm relaxed atmosphere.

A relative we spoke with told us: “It’s always clean and tidy, and the people living here are well looked after.”

We saw that people were protected against the risks associated with medicines because appropriate arrangements were in place to manage medicines.

We found records were kept securely and could be located promptly when needed.

We gathered evidence of people’s experiences of the service by talking with people, observing how they spent their time and noted how they interacted with other people living in the home and with staff.

During our visit we spoke with people who told us it was very nice at Cavendish Care Homes Limited. We saw that people smiled and appeared relaxed and comfortable with staff and others living in the home.

During our inspection we saw that people received good care and that staff treated them with respect.

Some of the people who use this service have difficulty understanding and responding to verbal communication. During our visit we were able to hold a conversation with four people. Some others were able to make comments about specific issues, such as the meals, however; most of the information about people's experiences of this hospital was gathered through our observations, review of records and discussions with the manager and care staff.

People with whom we spoke confirmed that they were listened to and respected by staff. Some people told us that the staff ask them about their preferences, for example, with regard to what they would like to eat or drink.

Some people with whom we spoke were able to confirm that they were involved in the drawing up and implementation of their care plans.

People with whom we spoke confirmed that they were generally satisfied with the care and treatment provided by staff. They felt able to approach staff if they had any concerns and were confident that these would be addressed appropriately.

When we visited the home on 20 July 2011 people told us that staff consulted with them about their care needs.

People told us that they were satisfied with the level of care and support they received at Cavendish. One person with whom we spoke told us "The care is very good here".

One person told us, "The food is good and if I don't like something they will make me something else".

Everyone with whom we spoke told us that the staff at the home were very good. One person said, "They are lovely the staff here".

People told us that there were generally staff available to them whenever they needed them. People told us that staff were kind and caring and that, "Nothing was ever too much trouble".