We inspected Seaview on the 11 December 2018.

About the service:- Seaview caters for up to five people with learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection five people were using the service. The service had spacious living areas and was set over two floors. The service was set in a residential area with easy access to the local community and had a large garden. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

People’s experience of using this service:

The service was safe. Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare. There were systems in place to minimise the risk of infection and to learn lessons from accidents and incidents. People were cared for safely by staff who had been recruited and employed after appropriate checks had been completed. People’s needs were met by sufficient numbers of staff. Medication was dispensed by staff who had received training to do so.

The service was effective. People were cared for and supported by staff who had received training to support people to meet their needs. The registered manager had a good understanding of their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. 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 support this practice.

People were supported to eat and drink enough to ensure they maintained a balanced diet and referrals to other health professionals were made when required. The environment was well maintained and suitable for the needs of people.

The service was caring. Staff cared for people in an empathetic and kind manner. Staff had a good understanding of people’s preferences of care. Staff always worked hard to promote people’s independence through encouraging and supporting people to make informed choices.

The service was responsive. People and their relatives were involved in the planning and review of their care. Care plans were reviewed on a regular basis. People were supported to follow their interests and participate in social activities. The registered manager responded to complaints received in a timely manner.

The service was well-led. The registered manager had systems in place to monitor and provide good care and these were reviewed on a regular basis.

Rating at last inspection: Good (report published 6 May 2016)

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor all intelligence received about the service to ensure the next planned inspection is scheduled accordingly.

Seaview provides accommodation, care and support for up to five people who may have a learning disability and/or autistic spectrum disorder. There were five people living in the service when we inspected on 30 March 2016.

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 received care that was personalised to them and met their individual needs and wishes. Staff communicated well with people and were attentive to their needs. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity and interacted with people in a caring, compassionate and professional manner. The atmosphere in the service was friendly and welcoming.

Systems were in place which safeguarded the people who used the service from the potential risk of abuse. Staff understood the various types of abuse and knew who to report any concerns to.

Staff knew how to minimise risks and provide people with safe care. Procedures and processes guided staff on how to ensure the safety of the people who used the service. These included checks on the environment and risk assessments which identified how risks to people were minimised.

Recruitment checks on staff were carried out with sufficient numbers employed who had the knowledge and skills to meet people’s needs.

Appropriate arrangements were in place to ensure people’s medicines were obtained, stored and administered safely. People were encouraged to attend appointments with other health care professionals to maintain their health and well-being.

Care and support was based on the assessed needs of each person. People’s care records contained information about how they communicated and their ability to make decisions. People were encouraged to pursue their hobbies and interests and to maintain links within the community.

People or their representatives were supported to make decisions about how they led their lives and wanted to be supported. Where they lacked capacity, appropriate actions had been taken to ensure decisions were made in the person’s best interests. The service was up to date regarding the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

People’s nutritional needs were being assessed and they were supported to eat and drink sufficiently. People were encouraged to be as independent as possible but where additional support was needed this was provided in a caring, respectful manner.

There was an open and transparent culture in the service. Staff were aware of the values of the service and understood their roles and responsibilities. Audits and quality assurance surveys were used to identify shortfalls and drive improvement in the service.

Some of the people living at Seaview Care Home had complex needs and were unable to speak with us. This meant that people were not able to tell us about their experiences. Some people communicated with us using gestures and facial expressions and this helped us understand their experiences. We also observed how people spent their time and noted how they interacted with other people living in the home and with staff.

We saw that staff treated people with respect and encouraged them to make choices and express their views. It was evident that staff knew people well and were caring in the way they supported people.

There were systems in place to support people to take their medication appropriately and safely.

The environment at Seaview Care Home was homely and people's bedrooms were decorated according to their preferences.

The provider had processes in place to seek the opinions of people who lived at Seaview Care Home and their relatives. They also carried out checks to monitor the quality and safety of the service.

We used a number of different methods to help us understand the experiences of people

using the service because the people using the service had complex needs which meant

some of them were not able to tell us their experiences. Many people shared their views

through gestures, facial expressions and body language, we spoke generally with some

people and we observed how people interacted with one another and with members of

staff.

Some of the people living at Seaview were not able to communicate with us verbally

and some chose not to talk with us. They shared their views through gestures, facial

expressions and body language wherever possible. We saw people were engaged in a

range of activities and were relaxed and comfortable with staff and other people using the service.