Farthings is a residential care home for 18 older people some of whom are living with dementia. It is situated in a village location.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People continued to receive safe care. There were enough staff to support them and they were recruited to ensure that they were safe to work with people. People were protected from the risk of harm and received their prescribed medicines safely. Lessons were learnt from when mistakes happened.

The care that people received continued to be effective. They 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. Staff received training and support to be able to care for people well. They ensured that people were supported to maintain good health and nutrition; including in partnership with other organisations when needed. The environment met people’s needs.

People continued to have positive relationships with the staff who were caring and treated people with respect and kindness. There were opportunities for them to get involved in activities and pursue their interests. Staff knew them well and understood how to care for them in a personalised way. There were plans in place which detailed people’s likes and dislikes and these were regularly reviewed. People knew how to raise a concern or make a complaint and the provider had implemented effective systems to manage any complaints that they received.

People and their relatives were included in developing the service and found the registered manager approachable. There were quality systems in place which were effective in continually developing the quality of the care that was provided to them.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

Prior to our visit we reviewed all the information we had received from the provider. During the visit we spoke with four people who used the service and asked them for their views. We also spoke with one care worker, the registered manager and the provider. We carried out a partial tour of the building.

There had been major building work at the home, for a prolonged period of time. This included an extension of the communal areas and an increase in the number of bedrooms in the main house. A person who used the service told us, "This is a lovely room now, much bigger and lighter.” (This was in reference to the lounge and communal area.)

We asked people who used the service if the on-going work was disruptive to them and one person said, “I’ve been here all along. It was a bit noisy at times but now it’s nearly finished. I think it’s been worth it because the lounge and dining area is lovely.” Another person said, “I will be so glad when it’s finished. I know it’s much nicer now but it’s been going on all the time I’ve been here and now I am fed up with it.”

We looked at some of the records held in the service including the care plans for three people. We observed the support people who used the service received from staff. A person who used the service told us, "Someone spoke about my care plans with me.” Another person said, “I have a care plan and some information in my room for staff to look at.”

We asked people if they were familiar with the complaints procedure and if they would feel confident to make a complaint. One person said, “Regardless of the procedure, if I wanted to complain, I would. I’d move somewhere else if there was something wrong here.”

We asked a care worker if they thought people who used the service were safe and protected from abuse. They told us, “Definitely. We have all been trained in safeguarding people and we know the procedures for reporting.”

Prior to our visit we reviewed all the information we had received from the provider. During the visit we spoke with four people who used the service and a relative and asked them for their views. We also spoke with two care staff, the registered manager and the provider. We also looked at some of the records held in the service including the care files for three people. We observed the support people who used the service received from staff and carried out a tour of the building.

We found people who used the service had been consulted with about their care plans. A person who used the service told us, “I think someone spoke about my care plans. I think they must get bogged down with them, but you must take precautions.” Another person said, “We talked through my care file. Everything is very good.”

There was a major building project underway at the home. This included an extension of the communal areas and increasing the number of bedrooms in the main house. A person who used the service told us, “I like the different areas, it's nice having a reading area.”

A person who used the service said, “Whoever selects the staff does very well to get the right person for the job.” Another person told us, “Whenever I have needed a member of staff I can get one. But sometimes they are then rushing off to someone else.”

A person who used the service told us, “I was told about the complaints procedure. I am not easily satisfied but I have no complaints at all.”

On the day of our visit to the Farthings Residential Care Home there were twelve people living at the care home.

We spoke with three people who live at Farthings Residential Care Home. They told us that: “this is a wonderful place, I can fully recommend it.” “The staff are really good, I feel really well looked after.” “We have some lovely times here, and they are building a new extension, so it will be even better.”

The people we spoke with told us that they thought the care they were receiving was very good: One person said: “It’s lovely here; the staff are very kind, and caring.” Another person told us: “I really can’t fault it, I’ve got everything I need, and the staff are here to help me if and when I need them.”

On the wall there is a poem written by someone who lived at the care home. The poem is dedicated to the staff, and the first line goes: “Thank you for your tender care, happy and smiling always there.”

We asked people if they thought they were safe. They said that they thought they were. However they were not able to give us any insight or view into staff training in vulnerable adults that had taken place at the care home.

None of the people we spoke with were able to give us any insight into how Farthings Residential Care Home was monitored or assessed by the provider. Although both providers were at the care home on the day of the inspection visit, and people we spoke with knew who they were and that they owned the care home.

We inspected the service on 11 and 12 November 2014. Farthings Residential Care Home is designed to accommodate up to 17 people. They are registered to provide accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care and treatment of disease, disorder or injury. On the day of our inspection 15 people were using the service.

The service had no registered manager in place since August 2014. 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 avoidable harm with the effective management of identified hazards and suitable risk assessment procedures. Staff were trained to safeguard people from harm and understand how to put safeguarding procedures into practice.

Medicine was being managed safely and people received their medicines as prescribed. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs.

People were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain their health and that specialist diets could be provided when required.

Staff knew the people they were supporting and provided them with personalised care. People told us they were treated with respect and dignity and staff were proactive in promoting their independence as far as possible.

The acting manager was accessible and approachable and auditing systems were in place that monitored aspects of service provision. Staff, people who used the service and relatives felt able to speak with the acting manager about anything.