Warren Court is a care home registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 19 older people, many of whom were living with dementia. Accommodation is arranged over three floors and there is passenger lift access. At the time of our inspection there were 18 people using the service.

This inspection took place on 20 and 21 April 2017, the first day was unannounced. At the last inspection in February 2015, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good overall. The service demonstrated they continued to meet the regulations although we found improvements were needed in relation to meeting people’s social needs and choices. In the key question 'Is it responsive?' we have therefore rated the service 'requires improvement'.

Although there were organised social activities, these were not always arranged according to people’s preferences and individual needs. We have made a recommendation about improving the activities to provide more engagement and stimulation for people, particularly those living with dementia.

People using the service and their relatives told us they felt safe and well cared for. Staff knew how to recognise and report any concerns they had about the care and welfare of people and how to protect them from abuse and harm. Where risks were identified, there was guidance on the ways to keep people safe in their home and in the local community.

Warren Court continued to be safely maintained and people had the equipment they needed to meet their assessed needs.

Staff received an induction and relevant training to support people with their care needs. This was followed by ongoing refresher training to update and develop their knowledge and skills. Staff also undertook training courses specific to people’s needs such as dementia awareness. They were supported though an appraisal and supervision system to check they remained skilled in their roles.

There were positive and caring relationships between staff and people who lived in the home and this extended to relatives and other visitors. People who used the service and their guests were treated with respect and courtesy. Staff were caring, patient and maintained people’s privacy and dignity.

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 home supported this practice.

People received care and support which was based on individual assessments of their care needs and took into account each person's ability, need and preferences. People's wishes, choices and beliefs were reflected in their care plans. There was information about people’s social links and relationships with family and friends. Staff were responsive when people's support needs or circumstances changed and care records were updated appropriately.

People were encouraged and supported to eat and drink well. When people were at risk of poor nutrition or dehydration, staff involved other professionals such as the GP or dietician.

Medicines were managed safely and people received their medicines as prescribed. The service worked closely with external professionals to promote people's health and wellbeing and meet their needs. Appropriate referrals were made when people became unwell or required additional services.

People and their relatives felt involved in the way the home was run and were encouraged to express their views and opinions. They knew how to complain and make suggestions, and were confident their views would be acted upon.

The registered manager continued to provide effective leadership and staff felt supported. The provider had systems in place that continued to be effective in assessing and monitoring the quality of the service. Where improvements were needed or lessons learnt, action was taken.

This was an unannounced inspection that took place on 27 February 2015.

Warren Court is a care home registered to provide accommodation and nursing and personal care for up to 19 people who require personal care and may also have dementia. The service is located in the Purley area.

The home does not currently have a registered manager. A manager has been recruited and is awaiting debarring and closure clearance before applying for registration. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

This was the first inspection since registration in May 2014. We found that the service met the regulations we inspected against.

People and their relatives told us the home provided a good service and they enjoyed living there. The staff team were very caring, attentive and provided the care and support they needed in a friendly, kind way. The home provided an atmosphere that was enjoyable and people said it was a good place to live. It was well maintained, furnished, clean and provided a safe environment for people to live and work in.

The records were comprehensive and kept up to date. They contained clearly recorded, fully completed, and regularly reviewed information. This enabled staff to perform their duties well. The staff we spoke with were very knowledgeable about the people they worked with and field they worked in. They had appropriate skills, training and were focussed on providing individualised care and support in a professional, friendly and supportive way. Staff said they had access to good support and career advancement.

People were enabled by staff to enjoy themselves and there was a lot of smiling and laughter during our visit. They and their relatives were encouraged to discuss health needs with staff and had access to community based health professionals, as required. People were protected from nutrition and hydration associated risks with balanced diets that also met their likes, dislikes and preferences. Relatives were positive about the choice and quality of food available.

Relatives said the management team at the home, were approachable, responsive, encouraged feedback from people and consistently monitored and assessed the quality of the service provided.