Lifstan Way Care Home is a residential care home located in Southend on Sea close to local amenities such as bus routes and shops. The home is registered to provide accommodation with personal care for up to 11 people with mental health needs. There were 10 people receiving a service on the day of our inspection. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

At our last inspection on the 13 January 2016, 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.

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The service had a registered manager. 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 service provided good care and support to people enabling them to lead fulfilled and meaningful lives. People were supported by skilled and well trained staff who ensured people were safe and encouraged them to achieve their full potential and live as independently as possible.

Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were appropriately assessed, managed and reviewed. People were cared for by staff that had been recruited and employed after completion of appropriate checks which ensured people were protected from the risk of avoidable harm. People were supported by a consistent staff team and there were sufficient staffing levels to meet people’s assessed needs. People’s medicines were managed appropriately.

People are supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice. There was a positive culture within the home that reflected the provider’s vision to support and promote people’s voice, choice and control within their own home and the wider community.

Staff received and the training they needed to fulfil their role and received regular supervision. Staff knew people well and were kind and sensitive to their needs and ensured their privacy and dignity was respected. People told us they were happy with the care and support they received. People’s nutritional needs were met and people were supported to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. People received support to access health care professionals and services when required.

Care plans were regularly reviewed and people were involved in the planning of their care. Staff shared information effectively which meant that any changes in people’s needs were responded to appropriately. People were provided with the opportunity to participate in activities which interested them.

People, staff, relatives and healthcare professionals spoke positively about the registered manager who was committed to providing a person centred service; ensuring people had a good quality of life. There were systems in place to regularly assess and monitor the quality of the service provided and people and staff had the opportunity to say how they felt about the home and the service it provided. The registered manager was able to demonstrate how they measured and analysed the care and support provided to people, and how this ensured that the service was operating safely and was continually improving to meet people’s needs.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

The unannounced inspection took place on the 13 and 15 January 2016.

Lifstan Way provides accommodation and support for up to eleven people with enduring mental health needs.

The service is required to and did have a registered manager. 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.

Staff delivered support effectively and care was provided in a way that intended to promote people’s independence and wellbeing, whilst people’s safety was ensured. Staff were recruited and employed upon completion of appropriate checks as part of a robust recruitment process. Sufficient members of staff enabled peoples individual needs to be met adequately. Qualified staff dispensed medications and monitored people’s health satisfactorily.

People’s rights were protected because management and staff understood the framework of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Management applied such measures appropriately and staff understood their responsibilities and how to keep people safe.

Support and advice was given to people to allow/enable them to make informed choices about the food they consumed and purchases they made. New online person centred care plans allowed care workers to spend more quality time with people. Access to healthcare services were readily available to people and the service kept clear records of healthcare visits. Health professionals had access to the services new person centred software which enabled them to contribute effectively to people’s care and support plans.

Staff were kind and respectful towards people ensuring privacy and independence was promoted. Staff understood their roles and people were supported in a person centred way. People were helped to identify their own interests and follow them with the assistance of staff. These activities took place independently or as part of a group within the service as well as in the community.

People’s views had been gathered using effective systems. These included regular resident and staff meetings, direct interactions with people and the distribution of questionnaires to people, relatives and healthcare professionals. The implementation of the new person centred software has improved the services potential ability to audit and improve the quality of care being given. A complaints procedure was in place and has been used appropriately by management.