This inspection took place on 21 and 26 June 2018. The first day of the inspection was unannounced.

Eastbourne House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Eastbourne House accommodates 72 people with personal care needs across three floors in one purpose built building. Some of the people were living with dementia. On the day of our inspection there were 72 people using the service.

This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

The service had a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC to manage the service. Like 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.

We last inspected the service in September 2015 and rated the service as ‘Good’. At this inspection we found the service remained ‘Good’.

People told us they felt safe Eastbourne House. There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty to keep people safe. There was an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place and relevant vetting checks were carried out. Staff were suitably trained and received regular supervisions and appraisals.

Accidents and incidents were appropriately recorded and risk assessments were in place. Safeguarding procedures had been correctly followed and staff had been trained in safeguarding vulnerable adults.

The home was clean, spacious and suitable for the people who used the service. Health and safety checks were carried out to ensure people lived in a safe environment.

Appropriate arrangements were in place for the safe administration and storage of medicines.

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 were supported with their dietary needs and care records contained evidence of visits to and from external health care specialists.

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

Care records showed that people’s needs were assessed before they started using the service and support plans were written in a person-centred way. Person-centred means ensuring the person is at the centre of any care or support plans and their individual wishes, needs and choices are taken into account.

People were protected from social isolation. Person-centred activities were arranged and people were supported to take part in group events and excursions.

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

The provider had an effective quality assurance process in place. People who used the service, family members and staff were regularly consulted about the quality of the service via meetings and surveys.

Eastbourne House is a care home based in Whitley Bay which provides accommodation and personal care and support to older persons, some of whom are living with dementia. People living with dementia at the home were accommodated in an area named the ‘Grace Unit’. At the time of our inspection there were 51 people using the service. This was our first inspection of this service since it was registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

This inspection took place on 10 and 11 September 2015 and was unannounced.

A registered manager had been in post until the week prior to our inspection and a new manager had already been appointed and was working at the home on the two days that we inspected. The newly appointed manager told us they were in the process of submitting an application to the Care Quality Commission to register themselves as the registered manager of this 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 spoke highly of the staff who supported them, saying they felt safe in their presence. Appropriate systems were in place to protect people from abuse and there were channels available through which staff could raise concerns. Records showed that matters of a safeguarding nature had been handled appropriately and referred on to the relevant local authority safeguarding team for further investigation, in line with set protocols.

Overall, people’s needs and the risks they were exposed to in their daily lives had been assessed and regularly reviewed. Environmental risks within the home had also been considered assessed and measures put in place to mitigate these risks. Medicines were managed and administered safely but some recording around medicines needed to be improved. Recruitment processes were robust and staffing levels were sufficient to meet the needs of the people who worked at the service.

Staff supervision and appraisal systems were in place, but supervisions did not always take place at regular intervals. The provider’s representative told us this would be addressed. Staff meetings took place regularly and staff told us they felt supported. Records related to staff training showed that this was up to date and staff received training relevant to their roles. Some of our observations highlighted that either staff training in dementia care was not detailed enough, or staff did not always apply the skills they had learned when supporting people with dementia care needs. In addition, the environment in the Grace unit where people living with dementia were accommodated did not reflect best practice guidelines. We have made a recommendation about this.

People were supported to meet their nutritional and general healthcare needs. A rotating varied menu was available with a wide variety of food choices. External healthcare professionals were contacted for help and support related to people’s care, as and when needed. Staff displayed caring attitudes and they promoted people’s privacy, dignity and independence. End of life care planning had been undertaken with those people who wished to plan in advance. Advocacy was arranged for those people who needed an independent person to act on their behalf and there was a policy for staff to refer to and follow.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA), including the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), and to report on what we find. There was evidence to show the service understood their legal responsibility under this act and that they assessed people’s capacity when their care commenced and on an on-going basis where necessary. Decisions that needed to be made in people’s best interests’ had been appropriately taken.

Some records related to the care people needed and that which was delivered to them, were not always up to date or appropriately completed. However they were individualised. We have made a recommendation about this.

A varied activities programme was in place for those people who wished to partake in communal activities and for those who did not, the activities co-ordinator spent time with them on a one to one basis if they wished.

A complaints policy was in place for staff to follow and historic complaints that had been made had been handled in line with the provider’s policy. Surveys to gather people’s views and those of their relatives, staff and healthcare professionals involved with the home were carried out regularly and the results analysed to see where improvements to the service could be made. People were kept informed about the service and any changes via meetings or newsletters and promotional literature, which were distributed regularly.

Audits in key areas were carried out regularly alongside monitoring visits from the operations manager to review the service delivered. This was with a view to driving through improvements within the service. The provider had staff recognition and award schemes in place and worked in partnership with local community organisations to enhance the service provided to people within their care.