This inspection took place on 10 July 2017 and was unannounced. This was the first rating inspection of this service since they registered with us in August 2015.

Holly House provides accommodation and personal care for up to 8 younger adults living with dementia and mental health issues. There were 8 people living at the service at the time of our inspection.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

The culture of the service was to promote people’s wellbeing whilst providing personalised care and support. People were at the heart of the service and people’s expectations were exceeded in relation to the support provided to them. Staff were aware of people’s likes and dislikes, their aspirations and how they wished to spend their days. People were encouraged to take part in a variety of activities that were of interest to them and chose to have busy lives. Great efforts were made to ensure people maintained relationships with those important to them. People’s care needs were regularly reviewed and staff made aware of any changes in their care needs immediately.

People felt safe and confident in the care of the staff who supported them. People were protected from harm because there were systems in place to identify and manage risks associated with their needs. Staff were aware of their responsibilities to act on any concerns they may have regarding people’s wellbeing and additional support was sourced where appropriate, to keep people safe from harm.

People were supported by staff who received a comprehensive induction and were well trained. Systems were in place to ensure staff had the most up to date skills they needed to meet the individual needs of the people they supported. People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff with the right skill mix to meet their needs.

Systems were in place to ensure people received their medicines as prescribed by appropriately trained staff.

People were supported by staff who were aware of their healthcare needs and worked effectively with other agencies to promote their health and well-being. People were supported to have sufficient food and drink to remain healthy and solutions were sought to support people to make healthy choices which may have a positive impact on their well-being.

People were complimentary about the staff who supported them and benefitted from positive relationships with staff and other people living at the home. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity and were respectful when supporting people with their needs.

There was a system in place for investigating and recording complaints and people were confident that if they did have any concerns, they would be dealt with appropriately. People were given the opportunity to have their voice heard and provide regular feedback on the service.

Staff felt listened to and supported and were well motivated and enjoyed their work.

Regular audits took place to continually assess the quality of the care provided. There was a strong emphasis on continual improvement and striving to provide a quality service in order to support people to live healthy, interesting and fulfilling lives.