Mountbatten Nursing Home is registered to provide nursing care and accommodation to up to 30 people. The home specialises in the care of people of all ages with complex medical needs. At the time of inspection there were 29 people living at the home.

At the last inspection in October 2015 the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated good

People felt safe at the home and with the staff who supported them. One person told us, “I feel very safe because I know the girls [staff] all know what they’re doing.”

There were systems and processes in place to minimise risks to people. These included a robust recruitment process and making sure staff knew how to recognise and report abuse. There were adequate numbers of staff available to meet people’s needs and maintain their safety.

People received effective care because their needs were fully assessed and staff had the support and training required to meet their needs. Each person had a care plan which gave staff clear instructions about people’s needs and wishes. One person told us, “The manager came to assess me and gave me such confidence. I haven’t looked back since moving here.”

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 supported this practice.

People were supported by staff who were kind and caring. People had formed good relationships with other people who lived at the home and with staff. This led to a happy relaxed atmosphere for people to live in. One person said, “I like to have a laugh and there are plenty of those here.”

The service was responsive to people’s needs and they were able to make choices about their day to day routines. One person said, “You can really do what you like here.”

People could be confident that at the end of their lives they would be cared for with kindness and compassion and their comfort would be maintained. The staff worked with other professionals to make sure people received the support and treatment they wished for at the end of their lives.

Further information is in the detailed findings below

Mountbatten Nursing Home is registered to provide nursing care and accommodation to up to 30 people. The home specialises in the care of people of all ages with complex medical needs. At the time of inspection there were 29 people living at the home.

At the last inspection in October 2015 the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated good

People felt safe at the home and with the staff who supported them. One person told us, “I feel very safe because I know the girls [staff] all know what they’re doing.”

There were systems and processes in place to minimise risks to people. These included a robust recruitment process and making sure staff knew how to recognise and report abuse. There were adequate numbers of staff available to meet people’s needs and maintain their safety.

People received effective care because their needs were fully assessed and staff had the support and training required to meet their needs. Each person had a care plan which gave staff clear instructions about people’s needs and wishes. One person told us, “The manager came to assess me and gave me such confidence. I haven’t looked back since moving here.”

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 supported this practice.

People were supported by staff who were kind and caring. People had formed good relationships with other people who lived at the home and with staff. This led to a happy relaxed atmosphere for people to live in. One person said, “I like to have a laugh and there are plenty of those here.”

The service was responsive to people’s needs and they were able to make choices about their day to day routines. One person said, “You can really do what you like here.”

People could be confident that at the end of their lives they would be cared for with kindness and compassion and their comfort would be maintained. The staff worked with other professionals to make sure people received the support and treatment they wished for at the end of their lives.

Further information is in the detailed findings below

A single inspector carried out this inspection. The focus of the inspection was to answer five key questions; is the service safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes what people using the service, their relatives and the staff told us, what we observed and the records we looked at. If you want to see the evidence that supports our summary please read the full report.

This is a summary of what we found:

Is the service safe?

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care homes. Staff that we spoke with were confident they understood the process involved and were aware of their duties and responsibilities under the deprivation of liberty safeguards. On the day of our visit no one living in the home was subject to DoLS.

People had been cared for in an environment that was safe, clean and hygienic. One person told us "It's lovely, I can talk to someone one to one, I feel very safe here". Equipment at the home had been well maintained and serviced regularly.

There were enough staff on duty to meet the needs of the people living at the home and a qualified nurse was available 24 hours a day. The provider was available in the home to offer support on a daily basis.

Policies and procedures were in place, risk assessments had been conducted for all people living in the home. Staff we spoke with were confident that the training they had received as part of induction and mandatory training helped them to care for people living in the home.

Is the service effective?

People told us that they were happy with the care they received. It was clear from what we saw and from speaking with staff that they understood people’s care needs and that they knew them well. One person told us "things are very nice here, we are a happy bunch and I do not think you can fault the place".

Staff had received training to meet the needs of people living in the home. The person centred care plans and risk assessments that we looked at suggested that the care provided was effective.

Is the service caring?

We observed people being supported by kind and attentive staff. People were treated with dignity and respect. We observed people being given time to do things in an unhurried environment. One person told us "Very well looked after here, they are very nice people and the food is very nice indeed. I get my medicines on time and I get any amount of drinks that I want". A visitor told us "the staff are lovely and caring, people are very well cared for and the food is superb" and "People are treated with respect and dignity".

Is the service responsive?

Records that we looked at confirmed people’s interests, preferences, dislikes and personal history. Care and support had been provided that met their wishes. People’s choices were respected. People had access to activities that were important to them and were supported to maintain relationships with relatives and friends.

Comments that we observed in thank you cards that had been sent to the home included the following; ‘Thank you for helping to make it home’ ‘Thank you for your kindness and thoughtfulness’ and ‘Care was wonderful and faultless’.

Is the service well-led?

The home had a manager who is registered with the Care Quality Commission. Quality assurance processes were in place.

Staff received regular support and training. People had an opportunity to speak on a one to one basis with their key worker so they could discuss any suggestions for change, either in their care plan or in the home.

Staff had a good understanding of the ethos of the home describing it as ‘homely’. We observed a variety of policies and protocols to ensure the safety of people living in the home. One person told us ‘It’s very well organised here’.

There was a calm and friendly atmosphere in the home. We observed that people appeared very comfortable and relaxed with the staff who supported them. Throughout the day we observed, and heard, pleasant and caring interactions between staff and the people who lived at the home.

People we spoke with were happy with the standard of care they received. One person told us “I feel well looked after and am very happy with everything. “

People told us the home arranged for them to see doctors or other healthcare professionals if they were unwell.

During the inspection we visited several people who were being nursed in bed. We noted that everyone was clean and comfortable. To reduce the risk of pressure damage to people’s skin, staff were assisting people to change position regularly.

People said they would be able to speak with the manager or a member of staff if they had any worries or concerns. One person said “The staff are alright, you can talk to them and they listen.”

Recruitment files gave evidence of a robust recruitment process which ensured that new staff had the relevant skills and were of good character. The recruitment procedure also minimised the risks of abuse to people who lived at the home by making sure that all staff were thoroughly checked before beginning work.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service offered and ensure the safety of people who lived at the home.

People we spoke with were very happy with the care that they received. Comments included; “I am very well looked after, anything I want I only have to ask” and “I couldn’t ask for better care.” Staff that we spoke with demonstrated a good knowledge of people’s likes and dislikes. One member of staff said “we work around people’s preferences and the way they like things done. We can usually accommodate most requests.”

There was always a trained nurse on duty who was responsible for ensuring that people’s clinical needs were met. One visiting healthcare professional told us they felt the home provided a high standard of nursing care and involved other healthcare professionals when necessary.

We saw that people who liked to spend time in their personal rooms had access to a call bell. People said that if they rang their bell for assistance staff responded quickly. Throughout the day we noted that call bells were answered very promptly meaning that people did not have to wait for assistance.

All of the areas of the home we saw were clean and fresh. One member of staff took a lead role in ensuring that infection control policies and procedures were kept up to date.

People who lived at the home said that they would be comfortable to talk with a member of staff if they were unhappy about the care they received. One person said “I would always speak with the manager, there’s no need to worry about things.”

People spoken with during the visit said that they were able to make choices about their day to day lives. People said that they were able to decide what time they got up, when they went to bed and how they spent their day. One person said “You can more or less do what you like,” another person told us “Everything is very flexible, depends how you feel.”

The majority of people were unclear about what was in their care plan but all felt that they received the care that they required. We saw that some care plans had been signed by people living at the home and some gave written evidence that they had been discussed with the person or their representative. One person said “I know it’s all written down somewhere.”

Everyone asked was happy with the care that they received. Comments included “The care and the staff are excellent” and “I’m well looked after, the staff are all very kind.” One person said “Most of the time you get the care that you need.”

Some people said that there were very few activities at the home and that they would like to see more going on. One person said “There’s not much to do, it can be lonely and boring.” Three further people commented that although there was an activity programme they would have liked to see more going on.

Many people commented on the kindness of staff saying that they were always sensitive to their wishes and were kind and cheerful when helping them. One person said “Some staff are absolutely lovely, friendly and chatty. All the staff are very kind.”

Everyone asked said that they would be comfortable to raise any complaints or concerns. Comments included “I would make a complaint if I needed to” and “Everything is OK, I would say if it wasn’t.”

People asked said that staff were always happy to listen to their views about the quality of care that they received.

People living at the home said that they felt there was always enough staff on duty. People said that care was never rushed and staff always had time for them. One person said “They come quickly if you call and you always get the help you need.”

People told us that staff were competent and “Know what they are doing.” Three people commented that staff were ‘cheerful.’