This inspection took place on 10 and 11 January 2017 and was unannounced.

Portland House Nursing Home is registered to provide accommodation with nursing and personal care and treatment of disease, disorder or injury to a maximum of 43 people. There were 27 people living at the home on the day of our inspection. The home has reduced the number of beds to 32 due to double occupancy rooms being used as single rooms. The home is considered full when 32 people live there.

A registered manager was in post and was present during our inspection. 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 supported by staff who had received training in and understood how to protect people from any harm and abuse. Systems were in place for staff to follow which protected people and kept them safe. Staff knew how to and were confident in reporting any concerns they may have about a person’s safety.

People were supported by enough staff to safely meet their needs. When people needed or asked for help and support they were not kept waiting and staff responded swiftly. The registered manager monitored how many staff were needed based on people’s individual needs. Checks were completed on potential new staff to make sure they were suitable to work with people living at the home.

People were supported to take their medicines safely and when they needed them. Medicines were stored safely and staff followed the provider's procedures to make sure they were managed safely.

Staff had the skills and knowledge to support people's individual needs. These skills were kept up to date through regular training and staff were also supported in their roles by managers and their colleagues.

Staff asked people’s permission before they helped them with any care. People’s right to make their own decisions about their own care and treatment was supported by staff. Where people needed help to make their own decisions staff helped them to understand their choices. The registered manager worked with other relevant professionals to make sure people’s rights were upheld.

People and relatives were very happy with the care provided and felt involved in what happened to them. People were treated with kindness, dignity and compassion and their privacy was respected.

People received their care how they wanted it and gave positive comments about the staff and management at the home. Staff were aware of people’s preferences and wishes when they delivered their care. The care that staff gave was personal to each person and people were supported to spend their time how they wanted to.

People knew how to raise complaints but told us they had not needed to. They were able to give their opinions of the home and the care they received at meetings and through surveys. People felt involved in what happened at the home and felt staff and management listened to them.

The home had a positive, friendly and welcoming culture where staff worked for the benefit of the people they supported. The provider had systems in place which assessed and monitored the quality of care that was provided at the home.