About the service: Park Lane is a residential home that is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 42 older people and people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 39 people living there. Accommodation is over three floors, with communal lounges and dining areas on two floors, a bar area, hair salon and secure garden.

People’s experience of using this service: People living at the service told us they were happy and received care that was tailored to their individual needs and preferences.

People were kept safe from the risk of avoidable harm. Detailed risk assessments were in place and these were regularly reviewed and updated.

Medications were managed safely; all staff had received medication training and regular competency assessments.

The home was very clean and free from malodours, staff used appropriate techniques to prevent the spread of infection.

The premises had been decorated in way that made it easy for people living with dementia to navigate the building and recognise their room. There was a bar area that people and their relatives could choose to visit if they wished.

People told us they enjoyed the food and drink provided. We observed mealtimes, saw that people had a choice of meals. Mealtimes were a relaxed and sociable time at the home.

People living there and staff had formed close bonds, there were enough staff to complete required tasks and provide companionship. We observed many times where staff and people living there engaged in meaningful conversations.

There was a variety of activities on offer. Activities were tailored to the individual preferences of the people living there.

People, relatives, staff and a healthcare professional all spoke very highly of the registered manager. All told us she was friendly, approachable, caring, fair and ran a happy home.

Rating at last inspection: At the last inspection the service was rated good. (Published July 2016).

Why we inspected: This was a planned comprehensive inspection. We had not received any information of concern prior to the inspection.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

This inspection was unannounced and took place on the 23 June 2016.

Park Lane Residential Home was previously inspected in September 2013. Two breaches of legal requirements relating to: safeguarding and assessing and monitoring the quality of service provision were not found to be met.

We asked the provider to take action to make improvements and found that the breaches had been met during our inspection.

Park Lane Residential Home is a three-storey care home that provides accommodation and personal care for up to 42 older people, the majority of whom are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection the service was accommodating 37 people.

The home is operated and managed by Althea Healthcare (Management) Limited (the registered provider).

Resident’s accommodation consists of 42 single rooms. Each floor is equipped with a dining area, lounge, bathing and toilet facilities. Car parking facilities are provided at the front of the building.

At the time of the inspection there was a registered manager at Park Lane Residential Home. 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.

We spent time with people using the service during our inspection of Park Lane Residential Home. We observed people living in the home to be relaxed, content and comfortable within their home environment and saw that interactions between staff and people using the service were friendly, polite and unhurried.

Staff were observed to have knowledge and understanding of people’s personalities, preferences, needs and support requirements. Through discussion and observation it was also clear that there were positive relationships between the people using the service and staff responsible for the delivery of care.

We saw evidence that people had undergone an assessment of their needs and that plans had been developed that outlined people’s abilities and needs; the support / action required by staff; identified risks and actions and outcomes and covered a range of areas that were relevant to the people’s individual needs.

People had access to a range of one to one and group activities that were facilitated by staff or external entertainers.

People had access to health care professionals and medication was ordered, stored, administered and disposed of safely by trained staff.

People had access to a choice of menu which offered people a varied, balanced and wholesome diet.

Staff recruitment systems were in place and information about prospective employees had been obtained to make sure staff did not pose a risk to people using the service.

Staff had access to induction, training and supervision to develop the necessary skills and competence for their roles.

The provider had developed policies relating to the MCA (Mental Capacity Act (2005) and DoLS (Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards). The registered manager and staff understood their duty of care in relation to this protective legislation and rights of people living in the home.

Audits had been established to monitor the service and systems were in place to safeguard people from abuse and to respond to complaints.

We spoke to four people who used the service. They said they were well looked after and happy with the service received. They were positive about the staff who supported them. Some comments made were:-

“The staff are nice to me. I couldn’t say a wrong word about them.”

“”I am happy. The staff are very nice, they are kind and caring. “

“The service is very good and I’m well looked after.”

We spoke with one relative who said they were happy with the care and support provided. They described the staff as caring and attentive.

We spoke to two health professionals who supported people who used the service. They said that from their observations they were happy with the standard of care provided.

During our visit we made observations that indicated that staff were attentive and had a caring attitude. When people asked for support they received a good response. Staff were friendly and helpful.

We found that the people who used the service were respected. People who used the service had a care plan in place detailing the support they needed.

We found that improvements were needed to the systems in place for ensuring that safeguarding referrals were made to social services.

Improvements were also needed to the quality assurance systems to ensure that significant events were responded to appropriately and that risks presented by the environment were identified to ensure people’s welfare.