Hays House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Hays House accommodates up to 43 people in one adapted building. At the time of our inspection 38 people were living at the home.

At our last inspection in December 2015 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 on-going 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.

This inspection took place on 6 and 7 March 2018 and was unannounced.

There was a registered manager in post at the service. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People who use the service and their relatives were positive about the care they received and praised the quality of the staff and management. Staff respected people’s choices and privacy and responded to requests for assistance.

People told us they felt safe living at Hays House and were involved in developing and reviewing their care plans. Systems were in place to protect people from abuse and harm and staff knew how to use them. Medicines were stored safely in the home and staff had received suitable training in medicines management and administration. People received the support they needed to take their medicines.

There were sufficient staff available to provide safe care. Staff understood the needs of the people they were providing care for and had the knowledge and skills to meet their needs.

Staff received a thorough induction when they started working at the home. They demonstrated a good understanding of their role and responsibilities. Staff had completed training to ensure the care and support provided to people was safe and effective to meet their 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 support this practice.

The service was responsive to people’s needs and wishes. People had regular meetings to provide feedback about their care and there was an effective complaints procedure. People enjoyed the social activities that were arranged.

The registered manager regularly assessed and monitored the quality of care provided. Feedback from people and their relatives was encouraged and was used to make improvements to the service.

Hays House Nursing Home provides accommodation and nursing care for up to 43 older people. At the time of our inspection 38 people were living at Hays House. The home was last inspected in October 2013 and was found to be meeting all of the standards assessed.

This inspection took place on 21 December 2015 and was unannounced. We returned on 22 December 2015 to complete the inspection.

There was a registered manager in post at the service. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People who use the service and their relatives were positive about the care they received and praised the quality of the staff and management. Comments from people included, “ I’m very happy with the service”, “The staff are very pleasant” and “ I’m quite ill at the moment, but they are on top of things. They do their best for me ”. A visitor also told us, “They are all very nice staff, very attentive”.

People told us they felt safe when receiving care and were involved in developing and reviewing their care plans. Systems were in place to protect people from abuse and harm and staff knew how to use them. One person told us, “I feel safe here”.

Staff understood the needs of the people they were providing care for. People told us staff provided care with kindness and compassion.

Staff were appropriately trained and skilled. They received a thorough induction when they started working at the home. They demonstrated a good understanding of their role and responsibilities. Staff had completed training to ensure the care and support provided to people was safe and effective to meet their needs.

The service was responsive to people’s needs and wishes. People had regular group and individual meetings to provide feedback about their care and there was an effective complaints procedure. One person told us, “I don’t ever have any concerns, but if I did, the staff would sort it out”.

The provider regularly assessed and monitored the quality of care provided at Hays House. Feedback from people and their relatives was encouraged and was used to make improvements to the service.

During our inspection we were unable to speak with some people who lived in the home due to their complex needs. We spoke with two people who lived in the home, and observed people taking lunch and tea. We also spoke with two visiting family members and a chiropodist who was on a professional visit at the home.

Two people who lived at the home told us that they understood the care choices available to them, and could have their views taken into account in the way their care was delivered. A person said, “They do ask if you are OK with things.”

We found that people's needs were assessed, and care was planned and delivered to meet people's needs. A person told us, "I know I have a care plan." People's care was regularly reviewed and their personal information was held securely.

We saw that the home was clean and well presented, and that people were protected from the risk of healthcare associated infections. A relative of a person who lived in the home told us, "It's always very clean, like you see it today."

We viewed a selection of staff records, and saw that relevant checks had been carried out when the home employed staff. Staff had opportunities to gain appropriate qualifications. A person who lived in the home told us, "Most staff are very kind and helpful." Another person told us, "They are a happy lot."

We saw that work was in progress to ensure that the home had appropriate systems in place to assess and monitor the quality of its services .

People or their relatives told us that they enjoyed living at the home and they were cared for well.

One person told us its ‘very nice here’

A relative told us of their relative that they ‘are very happy and staff are very caring’.

One person told us ‘I like living here, very good food’.

Before people received any care or treatment they were asked for their consent and the provider acted in accordance with their wishes. We viewed six peoples' files, we found signed forms that people who had bed rails had or their next-of-kin had consented to their usage because they were unable to do so themselves.

People’s needs were assessed and care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with their individual care plan.

People were generally protected from unsafe or unsuitable equipment. We did find that one record did not have sufficient detail regarding the use of an air mattress and one bed that did not have bumpers fitted onto the bed rails.

People were cared for by staff who were supported to deliver care and treatment safely and to an appropriate standard.

There was an effective complaints system available and complaints people made were responded to appropriately.

People were protected from the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care and treatment because accurate and appropriate records were maintained. We saw that records were kept securely.

People told us they are supported by a good group of staff. One person said “They are kind.” Another person told us “Staff are as good as can be. I’m well looked after by all of them.” Another person said “They were short on kitchen and house staff during the snow. The two senior nurses are efficient.”

People enjoyed a good diet. Some people who needed help with eating their meals were sensitively supported by members of staff. One person told us “The food’s not too bad, I like a roast.”