Franklin House is a care home that provides 24-hour residential care for up to 38 people. At the time of our inspection there were 38 people living there. 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.

Franklin House is situated in the centre of Oldham. The home, which is single storey, has single room accommodation, all with en-suite facilities. There is a large, well-maintained enclosed garden, with shrubs, trees, garden furniture and a summer house.

This was an unannounced inspection which took place on 19 and 20 December 2018. The CQC last inspected Franklin House in June 2016, when the service was rated as ‘Good’, overall. Since then, the service had been sold. This was the first CQC inspection of the service under its new ownership.

The service had an experienced registered manager, who had been in their post for over five years. 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 a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The building was secure, clean and well maintained. The communal lounge/dining room was nicely decorated and there was a large attractive garden. There were effective infection control and prevention measures within the service. Checks and servicing of equipment, such as for the gas, electricity and fire-fighting equipment were up-to-date.

There were systems in place to help safeguard people from abuse. Staff understood what action they should take to protect vulnerable people in their care. Recruitment checks had been carried out on all staff to ensure they were suitable to work in a care setting with vulnerable people. At the time of our inspection there were sufficient staff to provide people with the support they needed.

A safe system of medicines management was in place. Medicines were stored securely and records showed that staff received training and competency assessments before they were permitted to administer medicines.

Risk assessments had been completed. These helped identify if people were at risk from everyday hazards, such as falls. Where risks had been identified, there were plans in place to guide staff so that people were kept safe.

People were supported by a stable staff team, who knew the residents well. New staff received an induction to the service and the training matrix showed that all staff had completed recent training in a range of topics. This helped them to maintain their knowledge and competence. Management carried out regular supervision and observation of staff. This ensured the standard of their work was monitored and gave them the opportunity to raise any concerns or worries.

Staff encouraged people to make choices where they were able. People’s independence was encouraged and promoted. The service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

Care staff at Franklin House monitored people’s health. Where specific healthcare needs were identified, the service liaised with health care professionals for specialist advice and support. People were supported to eat a well-balanced diet and were offered a choice and variety of good quality, home-cooked meals. People were encouraged to provide feedback about the service through residents’ meetings. There was an ‘open door’ management approach, which ensured any concerns people had about the service were dealt with promptly.

People who used the service and relatives were complimentary about the staff and management team. Staff interacted with people in a kind, caring and patient way, and re