Eastleigh Care Home – Minehead Limited is a care home for up to 69 people. The home provides nursing and personal care. It specialises in the care of older people, including people living with dementia. At the time of the inspection there were 53 people living at the home.

At the last inspection in September 2015, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated Good;

People felt safe at the home and with the staff who supported them. One person told us, “Although I can’t do much for myself, they are always kind to me which makes me feel very safe indeed.”

There were systems and processes in place to minimise risks to people. These included a robust recruitment process and making sure staff knew how to recognise and report abuse. There were adequate numbers of staff available to meet people’s needs in a timely manner.

People received effective care from staff who had the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. One person said, “The care here is good. Actually it’s a very high standard.” Staff monitored people’s health and well-being and made sure they had access to other healthcare professionals according to their individual needs.

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 by staff who were kind and caring. Where people found it difficult to express themselves, staff showed patience and understanding. One person told us, “Staff are nice. They are gentle and kind.”

The service was responsive to people’s needs and they were able to make choices about their day to day routines. People had access to a range of organised and informal activities which provided them with mental and social stimulation.

People could be confident that at the end of their lives they would be cared for with kindness and compassion and their comfort would be maintained. The staff worked with other organisations to make sure high standards of care were provided and people received the support and treatment they wished for at the end of their lives.

People said they would be comfortable to make a complaint and were confident action would be taken to address their concerns. The registered manager and provider treated complaints as an opportunity to learn and improve.

The home was well led by an experienced registered manager and management team. The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality of the service, seek people’s views and make on-going improvements.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

This inspection was unannounced and took place on 29 September 2015.

Eastleigh Care Home – Minehead Limited is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 72 people. The home is divided into two parts. One part provides nursing care to people whilst the other part cares for people who do not require full time nursing care. The home specialises in the care of older people.

There is 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.

The home was well led by a registered manager who was appropriately qualified and experienced to manage the home. They kept their skills and knowledge up to date and used imaginative ways to share good practice with the staff team.

Although staff provided effective and responsive care to meet people’s physical needs, people who were unable to occupy themselves did not always receive responsive social and mental stimulation. We have recommended that staff receive further training and guidance in this area.

The provider had a robust recruitment procedure which minimised risks of abuse to people and staff knew how to recognise and report concerns. People felt safe at the home and with the staff who supported them.

Each person had their needs assessed and each had an individual care plan which set out how their needs would be met. When needs changed care plans were up dated to ensure staff had the information they required to meet the person’s changing needs.

Staff received training and supervision to make sure they had the skills required to effectively care for people. There were adequate numbers of staff to ensure people’s safety and they responded promptly to requests for help. There was clear staffing structure which made sure people always had access to senior staff.

Registered nurses monitored people’s health and ensured they received appropriate care and treatment. People had access to healthcare professionals from outside the home according to their specific needs. People’s medicines were safely administered by staff who had received specific training.

People received a diet in accordance with their needs. At mealtimes people received the support they required to eat and drink. Specialist diets were catered for and staff knew about people’s likes and dislikes. People were complimentary about the meals served.

People were cared for by kind and caring staff who respected their privacy and were friendly and reassuring when assisting them. People told us staff were kind and gentle when they helped them with personal care. People who were able to express their views told us they felt well cared for at the home.

This service had been registered since 18 October 2013 providing both nursing and residential care. Previously the nursing accommodation and residential accommodation had been registered as two services on the same large site.

We heard the unification of the two services had enabled people to access a range of care as their needs changed. Staff were also able to access an increased range of training and experience.

The service was managed overall by the registered manager. The deputy manager took particular responsibility for the care of people and staff in the residential building. During the inspection we met with the clinical lead for the provider and were told about their role in ensuring the standards of nursing and care throughout the home.

Our inspection set out to answer five questions:

Is the service safe?

Is the service caring?

Is the service responsive?

Is the service effective?

Is the service well-led?

Below is a summary of what we found. It is based on our observations during the inspection, discussions with people living at the home, and with the staff supporting them, and on looking at records.

Is the service safe?

People told us they felt safe. Staff treated people with kindness and respect. Safeguarding procedures were in place and action was taken to keep people safe. Arrangements were in place to make sure that the registered manager and staff learnt from incidents and investigations.

Staff we spoke with were aware of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and how to support people who were unable to make decisions for themselves. Staff were able to tell us about how they had involved other people in making decisions when someone lacked the capacity to make a decision for themselves.

CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. We found the location to be meeting the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. Relevant staff have been trained to understand when an application should be made, and how to submit one. People's rights were therefore properly recognised, respected and promoted. People who needed extra support to make decisions were able to use an independent advocate.

There were systems in place to ensure that medicines were safely stored, administered and disposed of. We heard medicines were only administered by registered nurses or senior staff who had completed appropriate training and been assessed as being competent to carry out the task.

Is the service caring?

People were supported by kind and caring staff. All of the people we spoke with told us that they were happy at the home. One person told us “I couldn’t have come to a better place. The carers care, the management is good and the food is excellent.” Another person said “We are really looked after here. Staff are great. We do more or less whatever we like.” A relative talked to us at length about the care their family member received. They said “They know my Mum here. I thought this would be the right place for her and I was right.”

The provider conducted annual satisfaction surveys. The most recent survey showed high levels of satisfaction with the quality of care.

Is the service effective?

The service provided care in line with people's wishes and individual needs. This was recorded in care plans. People’s health and care needs were assessed with them, and where possible they signed to show that they were involved in deciding the best care to meet their needs. Staff were trained in appropriate areas of care.

Is the service responsive?

The service responded to people’s changing needs. When people were unwell or they needed specialist assessment, the provider sought advice from community health and social care professionals.

There were residents’ meetings where people could suggest changes to the manager. We saw notes of these meetings that showed that the manager listened and made changes where they could.

People told us they felt able to make a complaint if they needed to. We saw when a complaint was made it was addressed and taken seriously.

Is the service well-led?

The service was led by registered manager who was supported by a deputy manager. Both managers knew the people living in the home very well and were actively involved in ensuring they received safe and effective care.

The service had a system of regular quality assurance that monitored care and showed where it could be improved.

Staff understood their responsibilities. They felt well supported by the provider and the registered manager. We heard from people who lived in the home and staff that the manager was accessible and “always listened.”