This unannounced inspection took place on 1 September 2016 and was carried out by two inspectors and a pharmacy inspector.

Lakeview Care Home provides accommodation, personal care and support for a maximum of 59 older people. There were 48 people living at the service at the time of our inspection, 21 of whom were living with dementia.

There was no registered manager at the time of our inspection but the General Manager had applied for registration. 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 felt safe at the service and when staff provided their care. They said staff were available when they needed them. Relatives were confident their relatives were cared for in a safe environment. They said there were enough staff on each shift to meet people’s needs. The staffing rotas were planned to ensure that staff with appropriate knowledge and skills were available in all areas of the service.

Risks to people had been assessed and staff implemented measures to reduce these risks. Staff understood safeguarding procedures and were aware of their responsibilities should they suspect abuse was taking place.

People were protected by the provider’s recruitment procedures. There were plans in place to ensure people would continue to receive their care in the event of an emergency. Health and safety checks were carried out regularly to keep the premises and equipment safe for use. People’s medicines were managed safely.

People were supported by staff that had the skills and experience they needed to provide effective care. Relatives said staff knew their family members’ needs well and provided consistent care. Staff had an induction when they started work and access to ongoing training, supervision and support.

Staff understood their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). People’s care was provided in line with the MCA and DoLS authorisations had been applied for where people’s care involved restrictions to keep them safe. Staff understood the importance of consent and gained people’s consent to their care on a day-to-day basis.

People were supported to have a balanced diet and enjoyed the food at the service. People’s nutritional needs had been assessed and were kept under review. The service had access to healthcare professionals if people developed nutritional needs that required specialist input. People’s healthcare needs were monitored effectively and they were supported to obtain treatment if they needed it.

People were cared for in a clean, well-maintained environment. The communal areas included comfortable lounges and dining areas and well maintained gardens. There were places for people to gather socially and a sensory room for those who benefitted from sensory stimulation. Accommodation had been designed to meet the needs of people living with dementia.

People told us that staff were kind and caring. Relatives said their family members had developed positive relationships with the staff who cared for them. The service had a homely, welcoming atmosphere that people and their relatives enjoyed. People told us their friends and families could visit whenever they wished and that staff made their visitors welcome.

Staff treated people with respect and maintained their dignity and privacy. People were supported to maintain their independence. Relatives told us their family members were encouraged to maintain their skills and abilities.

People were encouraged to be involved in planning their own care, with the input of their friends and families. People and their relatives told us their views about their care had always been listened to and implemented wh