Elm Tree care home is a privately owned and run care home by Hunt Healthcare Ltd. It provides accommodation and personal care and support for up to 46 older people, some who may have a mental health need or may be living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 40 people who lived in the service.

At the last inspection, in April 2015 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

The home 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.

People were kept safe. Staff had a good understanding of what constituted abuse and knew what actions to take if they had any concerns. Staff were effective in identifying risks to people's safety and in managing these risks.

There were enough staff to care for the people they supported. Staff received a comprehensive induction into the organisation, and a programme of training to support them in meeting people's needs effectively.

People received medicines from trained staff, and medicines were administered safely.

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. The service operated within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

People were supported with their nutritional needs. People were also assisted to manage their health needs, with referrals to other health professionals when required.

People and relatives told us staff were caring and had the right skills and experience to provide the care required. People were supported with dignity and respect and people chose how they spent their time.

Care plans contained information for staff to help them provide personalised care, were up to date and accurately reflected people's care needs.

Staff encouraged people to be independent. People had activities provided to keep them occupied and staff supported people with their individual interests.

People knew how to raise a concern and were encouraged to share their views and opinions about the service they received. There were formal opportunities for people and relatives to feedback any concerns through surveys.

People and relatives were positive about the management of the service. Staff told us the management team were approachable and responsive, and they could raise any concerns or issues with them. There were formal opportunities for staff to do this at team meetings and individual meetings.

There were processes to monitor the quality of the service provided. There were other checks which ensured staff worked in line with the organisation's policies and procedures. Environmental checks were completed and staff knew the correct procedures to take in an emergency.

Further information is in the detailed findings below and you can also see our previous comprehensive inspection report for this service.

The inspection took place on 29 April 2015 and was unannounced. Elm Tree provides accommodation and personal care and support for up to 46 older people, some who may have a mental health need. At the time of our inspection there were 28 people who lived in the service.

The service had an application in progress to register the manager. 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.