This inspection took place on 6 November 2018 and was unannounced. It is the first inspection.

The Old Chapel Care Home is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The Old Chapel Care Home can accommodate up to 15 people who require accommodation and personal care. The home is set over two floors; communal areas are on the ground floor and bedrooms on both floors. It is located in the village of Haigh, which is situated half in the district of Wakefield and half in the district of Barnsley. At the time of our inspection there were 15 people living in the home.

There was a registered manager employed at The Old Chapel Care Home. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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 told us they felt safe. Staff understood how to safeguard people from abuse in the home which included reporting any concerns.

We observed staff interacting and supporting people who used the service to move around the home safely. Systems were in place to identify risk but there was a limited use of records to show risk was being appropriately managed. People had care plans but these did not always cover all aspects of their care needs. The registered manager acknowledged their recording and documentation systems needed to be further developed and said this was a priority area for improvement.

Staffing arrangements ensured people were safe. People told us staff were available to assist them when they needed support and we observed and call bells were answered promptly. Staff received training and day to day support to help them understand how to do their job well but formal supervision was not provided on a regular basis.

The provider had systems in place to manage people’s medicines. Medicine administration records were well-completed and checks had been carried out to make sure that medicines were given and recorded correctly. Guidance was in place for administering most medicines but not for those medicines that were prescribed ‘as and when required’. The registered manager agreed to ensure protocols were in place where required.

People lived in a clean, pleasant, safe and well-maintained environment, and were comfortable in their surroundings. Everyone had en-suite facilities and were encouraged to personalise their room.

People told us they liked living at The Old Chapel Care Home and said they were being looked after very well. They were complimentary about the staff. Staff were kind and caring in their approach; we observed they chatted to people and asked them how they were feeling. People were at ease with staff and the registered manager, and told us they were comfortable raising concerns. Visitors were made to feel welcome.

People nutritional and health needs were met, and they had opportunity to engage in a range of activities. 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.

The registered manager was visible and spent time working alongside people who used the service and staff. Everyone was encouraged to share their views and put forward suggestions. The provider had some audits in place but these did not effectively identify areas for improvement. The registered manager said in the first year they had focused on developing an environment that was caring and a culture of fairness and transparency, and were now focusing on the quality management systems.