The inspection was carried out on 8 February 2017 and was unannounced.

Doddlespool Hall Care Home is registered to provide accommodation with personal care for up to a maximum of 27 people. There were 20 people living at the home at the time of our inspection, some of whom were living with dementia.

There was no registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. The service is required to have a registered manager. During our inspection, we met with the home manager who had applied to become registered manager of the service. 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 were protected from the risk of harm by staff who were able to recognise signs of abuse and knew how to report concerns. The provider had safe recruitment procedures to ensure staff were suitable to work with people living at the home. There were enough staff to safely meet people’s needs in a timely manner.

People felt safe living at the home as staff were always available to support them when needed. Risks to people’s health and wellbeing had been assessed and staff took action to minimise these. Accidents and incidents were monitored and reviewed to identify if there were any patterns or trends.

People received support to take their medicines safely. Medicine was stored securely and accurate records were maintained. Only staff who had received training to administer medicines safely gave people their medicines. Staff monitored people’s health and arranged healthcare appointments as necessary. Staff followed advice provided by healthcare professionals to promote good health.

People were confident staff had the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. Staff received training and support to meet people’s individual needs.

People were complimentary about the choice and quality of food provided to them. Staff monitored what people ate and drank and contacted other professional for advice when they had any concerns about people’s diets.

People spoke highly about the care and attention provided by staff. People were given choice and felt listened to. Staff treated people with dignity and respect and promoted their independence. Staff knew people well and used their knowledge of people’s past and families to engage in conversation with them. People had access to a range of activities which they enjoyed taking part in. People and their families felt there was a warm and welcoming atmosphere at the home.

People had not had cause to complain but felt confident and able to talk with staff if they had any concerns. The provider had a clear complaints process that was displayed at the home.

The manager provided effective leadership and ensured there was an open and caring culture in the home. People and their relatives were given opportunities to express their views about the development of the service and were kept well informed.

The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service and used the information gathered to make improvements.