We carried out an unannounced inspection of the service on 19 January 2017. Five Gables Care Home is registered to accommodate up to 16 older people who require nursing or personal care. At the time of the inspection there were 16 people using the service.

On the day of our inspection there were two registered managers in place. 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.

During our previous inspection on the 4 August 2015, we identified areas of concern in relation to how people’s medicines were managed. This was in relation to people’s medicine administration records (MAR) not always being fully completed and missing protocols for people who required ‘as needed’ medicines. During this inspection we checked to see whether improvements had been made and we found they had, in both of these areas. People’s medicines were now safely managed.

Staff could identify the potential signs of abuse and knew who to report any concerns to. Risks to people’s safety were continually assessed and reviewed. There were enough staff to keep people safe although some people and staff felt more staff may be needed during the morning. Action was being taken to address this.

People were supported by staff who completed an induction prior to commencing their role. They had the skills and training needed and their performance regularly reviewed to enable them to support people effectively.

The principles of the Mental Capacity Act (2005), including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, had been followed when decisions were made about people’s care. People were supported to maintain good health in relation to their food and drink. People’s day to day health needs were met by staff with referrals to relevant health services were made where needed.

Staff were kind, caring and compassionate, understood people’s needs and listened to and acted upon their views. People’s privacy and dignity were maintained. Staff treated people with respect, although a small number felt staff could be a little impatient at times. People were involved with decisions made about their care and were encouraged to lead as independent a life as possible. People were provided with information about how they could access independent advocates. People’s friends and relatives were able to visit whenever they wanted to.

People were supported to take part in activities if they wished to. People’s care records were person centred and focused on providing them with care and support in the way in which they wanted. People’s care records were regularly reviewed. People were provided with the information they needed if they wished to make a complaint.

The registered managers led the service well, were a visible presence throughout the inspection and were respected and well-liked by all the people we spoke with. People were encouraged and supported to maintain links with their local community. People were encouraged to provide feedback about the quality of the service and this information was used to make improvements. Quality assurance processes were in place to ensure people and others were safe in the home.