The New Careford Lodge is a residential care home for up to 18 people. The home specialises in the care of older people. At the time of the inspection there were 18 people living at the home. A small number of these people were receiving respite care.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated Good.

People felt safe at the home and with the staff who supported them. One person said “I feel well cared for and safe.” There were adequate numbers of staff to meet people’s needs and maintain their safety. Risk assessments were carried out to minimise risks to people.

People received effective care and support from staff who were well trained and competent in their roles. Staff monitored people’s health and made referrals to healthcare professionals according to people’s individual needs. 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 supported this practice.

There was a warm and welcoming atmosphere which helped to create a comfortable home. People told us, and we observed, that staff were kind and caring towards them. One person said “The staff here will do anything for you. They really are excellent.”

The staff were responsive to people’s individual needs and wishes. People were able to make choices about their day to lives and follow their own routines. One person said “I choose what I want. I like to think I’m still in charge.” There were organised and informal activities available to people in accordance with their interests and abilities.

People benefitted from a management team who were open and approachable. People were kept informed about any changes and there were ways for people to make suggestions and give feedback about the running of the home. The provider had systems in place monitor quality and safety and make improvements where necessary.

This inspection was unannounced and took place on 11 December 2014. At the last inspection of the home on 31 October 2013 no concerns were identified.

The New Careford Lodge Limited provides accommodation and personal care for up to 18 people. The home specialises in the care of older people.

There is 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.

The home was well led by a management team who had a commitment to providing good quality care in a homely environment. Their vision and values were communicated to staff through their day to day work, staff meetings and formal one to one supervisions. When we asked a member of staff about the home’s aims and values they told us “To make sure people know this is their home and they can still make choices. But also about providing the best care we can.”

There were effective quality monitoring systems to monitor the quality of care provided and ensure on-going improvements. People’s views were listened to and changes were made in accordance with people’s wishes where possible.

People were supported by staff who were kind and caring. There were sufficient staff to enable care to be provided in a relaxed and unhurried manner.

Care at the home was personalised to each individual and people were able to continue to follow their own routines and make choices about their day to day lives. One person told us “You can do your own thing. I have my own routine.” Another person said “I knew the home before I moved in. I was invited several times before I made the decision. It was a good decision the staff know my ways and we get along fine.”

People were supported to maintain links with the local community and continued to take part in local events. The registered manager had strong links with local groups and ensured the home was part of the community. For example with the nearby church, schools and social groups.

People were involved in planning their care and care plans were discussed with people or their representatives on a regular basis. People’s wishes for how they wanted to be supported, including the care they would like if they became ill, was recorded so all staff were aware of their personal choices. Staff signed care plans to say they had read and understood them.

People told us they felt safe at the home and with the staff who supported them. There was a robust recruitment procedure in place which minimised the risks of abuse to people.

People had access to healthcare professionals according to their individual needs. Staff made sure when there were changes to people’s physical well- being, such as changes in weight or mobility, effective measures were put in place to address any issues.

People’s nutritional needs were assessed to make sure they received a diet in line with their needs and wishes. People were offered drinks and snacks throughout the day and there was fresh fruit in the lounge for people to help themselves to. There was a set menu which offered people a choice at every meal. If people did not want anything from the menu there was a list of alternatives to choose from. One person told us “There’s always enough to eat and they always offer me more.” Another person said “There’s a good choice of food. Someone asks you every evening what you would like. There’s also plenty of snacks. No one will starve here.”

There was a calm and friendly atmosphere in the home. We observed that people appeared very comfortable and relaxed with the staff who supported them. Throughout the day we observed, and heard, pleasant and caring interactions between staff and the people who lived at the home. One person said “The staff are all helpful without being pushy.” Another person commented “They are always polite and thoughtful.”

People who lived at the home were very happy with the care they received. Comments included; “The standard of care is good,” “I get all the help that I need, things couldn’t be better” and “I have no complaints and feel lucky to live in such a caring home.”

Staff respected people’s decisions about how and when care was provided. Throughout our inspection we observed that staff always asked people for their consent before they assisted them with tasks.

There was a robust recruitment process which ensured new staff had the relevant skills and were of good character. The recruitment procedure minimised the risks of abuse to people who lived at the home by making sure that all staff were thoroughly checked before beginning work.

There were systems in place to effectively monitor the quality of care and to identify and minimise risks to people. We saw that risk assessments relating to specific people were incorporated into their care plans to ensure that risks were minimised.

The people we spoke with were very happy with the care that they received. Comments included “they look after me very well,” “I feel cared about and that makes me feel very secure” and “I always get the help I need.”

People told us that they continued to make choices about all aspects of their daily lives. People said that they were able to choose what time they got up, when they went to bed and how they spent their day. Throughout the inspection we noted that people were free to spend time in the communal areas or in the privacy of their own rooms.

All areas of the home that we saw were clean and fresh. One person said “they keep my room lovely and clean.” Another person commented “the standard of cleanliness is very high. There are never any nasty smells.”

People felt that there was enough staff on duty to meet their needs. One person told us “there is always a member of staff around if you need help.” Another person said “I must commend the manager for how well the staffing is organised. They are never too busy to spend time with you.”

There was a very relaxed atmosphere in the home and we saw that staff spent time with people to make sure that they had everything they needed. We saw that people were assisted in an unhurried manner which allowed them to maintain their independence.

There were lockable facilities in the home to make sure that records were securely stored.

Everyone asked was happy with the care and support that they received. Two people said “We are very well looked after” and another person said “I get everything I want and need.”

People said that they are able to make decisions about all aspects of their day to day lives and were always consulted about their care. One person said “You choose what you want to do.” Another person said “I decide what I do, you just please yourself.”

There was evidence that care plans are reviewed with the people living at the home. One person said “At my age my needs don’t change much but the monthly meeting gives me a chance to say if I want anything done differently.”

Everyone spoken with said that they were always consulted about what they did and when. Comments from people living at the home included “You are not forced to do anything, you choose what you do,” “You haven’t got to do anything” and “You decide what you want to do.”

People asked were happy with the food served at the home and everyone said that they were always given a choice. One person said “The food is excellent, if you make a request it is usually accommodated.”

Throughout our visit we observed that staff interacted with people in a respectful and kind manner. People living at the home appeared comfortable and relaxed with all staff. Everyone said that staff were always kind and approachable.

We saw that people had unrestricted access to their rooms and all communal areas. People said that they were able to have visitors at any time and could spend time with visitors either in communal areas or in the privacy of their personal rooms.

Without exception people spoke highly of the staff who supported them. We observed that staff spoke kindly to people living at the home and were respectful of their privacy. People living at the home said that they thought that there were always enough staff on duty. One person said “I think there are enough staff, there is always someone about and if you ring the bell they come immediately.” Other people agreed that staff always responded promptly if they requested assistance.

Comments from people living at the home included; “Staff are great and always happy,” “Staff are kind and always get you anything you want” and “Staff are wonderful, thoughtful and caring.”

People told us that if there was anything that they were not happy about they would talk with the manager or a member of staff. People were confident that any worries or concerns would be investigated.