This inspection took place on 10 and 11 August 2017 and was unannounced. The service is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 65 people. The service is also registered to provide personal care (domiciliary care) to people in their own homes, but at the time of the inspection the service was not supporting anyone.

Olive Tree House opened in August 2016 and admissions to the home were well managed. There was a gradual opening of the whole service, and the top floor was finally opened at Christmas 2016. The home was fully occupied in May 2017.

The home is a purpose built, modern, state of the art building with facilities over three floors and passenger lift access to the upper floors. On the ground floor there is a Memory Lane, a set of reminiscence shops including a pub (The Concorde), grocery shop and record shop. Each floor has its own lounge dining room and kitchenette. In addition, there were other communal facilities including a library, sensory room and a roof top garden. All bedrooms had en-suite facilities including a shower plus there were assisted bathrooms on each floor. At the time of our inspection there were 65 people living in the home.

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.

People were safe. This was because staff received safeguarding adults training and were knowledgeable about safeguarding issues. They knew what to do if there were concerns about a person’s welfare and who to report their concerns too. The service always followed robust staff recruitment procedures to ensure they employed the right staff and unsuitable staff were not employed. We found that the appropriate measures were in place to protect people from being harmed.

A range of risk assessments were completed for each person and ensured where risks were identified there were plans in place to reduce or eliminate the risk. The premises were well maintained. Regular maintenance checks were completed to ensure the building and facilities were safe. Checks were also made of the fire safety systems, the hot and cold water temperatures and equipment to make sure they were safe for staff and people to use. The management of medicines was safe meaning that people received their medicines as prescribed.

Staffing levels were regularly monitored and adjusted to ensure they were correct. The number of staff on duty was adjusted as and when necessary and based upon the collective care and support needs of the people who lived at Olive Tree House. Staff had enough time to meet people’s needs because there were enough of them on duty at any given time. People were safe because the staffing levels were sufficient.

The service was effective. New staff completed an induction training programme at the start of their employment and any new-to-care staff also completed the Care Certificate. There was a mandatory training programme for all other staff to complete to ensure they had the necessary skills and knowledge to care for people correctly. Care staff were encouraged to complete nationally recognised qualifications in health and social care.

An assessment of each person capacity to make decisions was made as part of the care planning process. People were always asked to consent before receiving care. They were encouraged to make their own choices about aspects of their daily life. We found the service to be meeting the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

People were asked about their likes and dislikes in respect of food and drinks and provided with sufficient quantities of both. Specific dietary needs wer