Stones Place is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Stones Place is located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The home provides residential care and support for up to 42 older people.

At our last inspection in February 2016 we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

This comprehensive inspection took place on the 18 September 2018 and was unannounced.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the service is run.

People continued to receive a safe service. Staff were recruited in a safe way and were provided with training to ensure they had the skills and knowledge to deliver safe care. Staffing levels were sufficient to safely meet the needs of the people living in the home. Medicines were administered and managed safely. The manager implemented processes and systems to manage risk. Accidents and incidents were monitored and where necessary, actions taken to prevent them from reoccurring.

People continued to receive an effective service. Staff were provided with regular training to ensure that they could meet the needs of the people living in the home. This was regularly refreshed and updated. 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. Food and drink at the home was good quality and plentiful. The home worked together with a range of health and social care professionals to ensure that people’s health and wellbeing were well maintained.

People continued to receive a responsive service. Systems were in place to ensure that people were involved in planning and reviewing their own care and support needs and they were supported by person centred staff who understood their needs and wishes.

People continued to receive a caring service. The atmosphere in the home was inviting and friendly. Staff demonstrated that they had the right balance between being friendly and professional and treated people with respect and kindness. People living in the home were provided with regular opportunities to express their views which were listened to and acted upon. People’s privacy and dignity was respected and promoted.

People continued to receive a well-led service. The registered manager fostered an inclusive team culture, led by example and was visible to the staff and the people living in the home. The provider and registered manager implemented high standards of quality assurance, governance and audit systems, which were used to ensure that shortfalls were identified and improved.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

The inspection took place on 5 February 2016 and was unannounced.

Stones Place is registered to provide accommodation for personal care for up to 42 older people. There were 38 people living at the service on the day of our inspection.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated

The Care Quality Commission is required by law to monitor how a provider applies the Mental Capacity Act, 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. DoLS are in place to protect people where they do not have capacity to make decisions and where it is considered necessary to restrict their freedom in some way. This is to protect them. The management and staff understood their responsibility and made appropriate referrals for assessment. One person at the time of our inspection had their freedom restricted under a DoLS authorisation.

People felt safe and were cared for by kind, caring and compassionate staff. People were kept safe. Staff undertook appropriate risk assessments for all aspects of their care and care plans were developed to support people’s individual needs. Staff knew what action to take and who to report to if they were concerned about the safety and welfare of the people in their care. People received their prescribed medicine safely from staff that had the competency to do so.

People were cared for by staff that were supported to undertake training to improve their knowledge and skills to perform their roles and responsibilities. People were given a choice of nutritious and home cooked meals. There were plenty of hot and cold drinks and snacks available between meals. People had their healthcare needs identified and were able to access healthcare professionals such as their GP or dentist. Staff knew how to access specialist professional help when needed.

People and their relatives told us that staff were kind and caring and we saw examples of good care practice. People were always treated with dignity and respect and enabled to make decisions about their care and treatment and maintain their independence. People were at the centre of the caring process and staff acknowledged them as unique individuals. People were enabled by a designated activity coordinator and team of volunteers to maintain their hobbies and interests, and build strong links with the local community.

There were systems in place to support people and their relatives to make comments about the service or raise concerns about the care they received. People and their families told us that the registered manager and staff were approachable. Staff were supported by a visible and effective leadership team.

The registered provider had robust systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and make improvements. Staff had access to professional development, supervision and feedback on their performance.

Before people received any care or treatment they were asked for their consent and the provider acted in accordance with their wishes. One person said, “They always ask me if I’m ready for my shower.”

We observed staff interact with people throughout our visit. People were treated as individuals and staff spoke with dignity and respect. People experienced care, treatment and support that met their needs and protected their rights.

People told us the home was always clean. One person said, “It a very nice home. The staff keep it clean and tidy.” We saw all areas of the home were clean and all furniture and equipment was in a good state of repair.

We saw there were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection.

We saw there were effective recruitment and selection processes in place.

We saw people had their comments and complaints listened to and acted on, without the fear that they would be discriminated against for making a complaint.

The people we spoke with told us that they were happy living in the home. They said that staff talked to them in a respectful and polite way. They told us that they could make choices about their care and staff listened to them.

People told us that they felt safe living in the home. They said staff understood their needs and how to look after them.