We spoke with the majority of people living at the house and they told us that they were happy living at The Dallingtons. They told us that St Mathews Limited company took over the running of the home six weeks ago and that they liked them. They told us that since the new provider had taken over, the atmosphere in the home was calmer and that they had seen improvements had been made to the décor of the home. They also told us that they liked their bedrooms because they were spacious and nicely decorated.

The people also told us that they enjoyed being supported by the staff to go out into the community and they did different activities. All the people we spoke with told us that they felt safe living at the home. They told us if any body shouted or hurt them, they would tell the manager and the staff.

One person told us that the new staff were different because they talked to people in a better way. They said they were asked for their opinions about the activities they wanted to do and food they wanted to eat and that the provider told them what was happening in the home.

We rated The Dallingtons as good because:

• The service had good medications management in place. Resuscitation equipment and emergency drugs were available. Staff checked these regularly.
• The wards were clean, had appropriate furnishings and equipment, and were well maintained by staff.
• Shifts were consistently covered with a sufficient number of staff.
• Staff used restraint as a last resort. There was emphasis upon verbal de-escalation and using non-physical techniques to calm patients who were distressed.
• All staff knew what constituted an incident and knew the reporting system in place. Managers ensured that staff received feedback and learning from incidents.
• All patients had a physical examination upon admission. Physical healthcare monitoring was undertaken routinely. Patients had care plans in place to reflect physical illness.
• Staff received supervision in line with the provider’s policy.
• Staff adhered to consent to treatment and capacity requirements.
• Where possible, staff encouraged patients and relatives, to be involved in their care and treatment.
• Staff responded to complaints appropriately, and within a timely way. An apology was given if necessary.
• All staff knew the senior management team, who were visible and approachable.
• Morale among the staff was good across both wards. Staff genuinely enjoyed their roles at the hospital.

However,

• There had been one occasion when the provider failed to notify the CQC of a safeguarding concern in a timely way.
• Only 67% of staff had received training in manual handling.
• Not all care plans were evaluated in detail.
• Appraisals undertaken did not detail discussions around personal development and future goals.