Welholme Road is a care home without nursing that provides personal care and accommodation for up to 16 people living with chronic and enduring mental health conditions, some of whom may also have a physical disability and treatment for substance misuse. At the time of our inspection there were 15 people using the service.

This unannounced inspection took place on 9 and 15 September 2016. The last time the service was inspected was in September 2013 when it was found to be compliant with the regulations inspected.

There was a registered manager for the service. 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.

A range of risk and management plans were available to help staff minimise risks and help keep people safe from potential harm. Action was taken to help prevent incidents and accidents from reoccurring again by staff who were provided with training on how to manage the behaviours of people who may challenge the service. Background recruitment checks had been carried out to ensure staff did not pose a risk to vulnerable adults and safeguarding training had been provided to them to ensure they were able to recognise and report incidents of possible abuse. Staffing levels were assessed to ensure there were enough staff available to meet people’s needs and people received their medicines from staff who had received training on this aspect of their role.

We found a variety of training was provided to enable staff to effectively meet people’s needs and supervision and development opportunities were provided to help staff develop their careers. People who used the service were supported in making decisions and choices about their lives by staff who respected their wishes for privacy and who upheld their personal dignity. We observed staff demonstrated kindness and consideration for people, many of whom lived with enduring mental health conditions or had difficulties in managing their behaviour. Staff responded sensitively to people’s needs and provided encouragement and empathic support to ensure people felt that they mattered. The registered manager and staff followed the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) to ensure people’s human rights were protected and they were not deprived of their liberty in an unlawful way.

People told us that staff were caring and kind and that they were happy with the way their support was delivered. People were involved and contributed to decisions concerning the planning of their support, which we saw was reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that it met their needs. People were positive about the quality of the meals that were served. We saw a variety of home cooked food was provided for people and that their dietary needs were monitored to ensure they were not at risk of malnourishment or dehydration. People said they were encouraged to pursue their interests and develop their independence although we found staff were not always following good practice guidance to help people engage and participate more fully in the life of the service. A complaints policy was in place to ensure people could raise concerns and have these investigated when required. People’s personal care records were securely held and information about them was maintained in a confidential manner.

We found that management was approachable, open and supportive. People were encouraged to express their views and provide feedback about the service to enable it to develop and improve. Systems were used to enable the quality of the service to be monitored by the registered provider, although we found some elements of these needed to be further improved.

People who used the service were satisfied with the care they received. People’s needs were assessed and care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with their individual care plan and in a way that was intended to ensure people’s safety and welfare.

People we spoke with told us they were happy living at the home and confirmed they felt safe. People who used the service were protected from the risk of abuse, because the provider had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening.

People we spoke with told us they liked the home. They said, “They keep my bedroom clean, I couldn’t wish for a nicer place to live."

We found people who used the service had the opportunity to comment on the quality of the service they received in surveys and meetings. We saw a survey had been completed between May and June 2013 and very positive comments had been received.

We found staff records and other records relevant to the management of the service were accurate and fit for purpose.

We found people’s needs were assessed and care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with their individual care plan. People who used the service told us they were satisfied with the care provided. Comments included "I am well looked after" and “They soon have the doctor if you are not well.” People told us about activities they were involved in. They said “They have outings, I have been to Brigg and I went on holiday” and “I am happy and never bored, there is always some activity, we do all sorts, cooking, baking, dancing, everything.”

People we spoke with told us that they received their medicines when they needed them and were kept informed about their medicines. One person we spoke with told us “I always know what medicines I am on because the staff tell me.”

We found staff received appropriate training and support for their role. People who used the service told us they liked the staff and they said their needs were met. They told us “The staff are very nice and very considerate” and “The staff are nice, polite and helpful.”

We found people’s complaints were fully investigated and resolved, where possible, to their satisfaction. People told us they were confident appropriate action would be taken to follow up any concerns that they might have. They said “I would speak to staff, they would sort it out” and “I would tell staff but I have always been happy.”

We did not speak to people who live in the home about any outcome areas during this visit.

People we spoke to confirmed that they were given choices about the way their care was delivered. They said they were happy in the home and felt their needs were met. Comments included ‘I really like it here’, ‘I like the staff, they are kind to me’ and ‘it’s a good place this’ and ‘the staff are good here, they help you out’.

They told us that they enjoyed the food provided and said that there was a good choice. Comments included’ you get what you like’, ‘the meals are not too bad, they feed you until you can’t stand up’ and ‘we get well fed’. One person said they have a take away one night of the week and they choose what they will have; they said ‘I like to get Chinese, we order it once a week’.