This inspection took place on 6 and 7 September and was unannounced.

Whitehaven provides accommodation, nursing and personal care for up to 14 people, including people who are living with a learning disability and/or autism. At the time of our inspection there were 10 people living in the home.

The registered manager had been in post since 2010. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People were not always supported to pursue their interests and there was a lack of activities in and outside of the home. People were supported to attend activities relating to their religion and cultural beliefs.

The service had processes in place to reduce the risk of harm to people. People lived in a safe environment because they were cared for by staff who had received training necessary for their role. There were enough staff to safely support people with their care needs. Appropriate recruitment checks were carried out for all new staff before they started working in the home. There were regular tests carried out for the utilities and fire safety equipment which ensured that the safety of the home was maintained.

Risks to people’s individual safety and wellbeing were identified. There was clear and detailed guidance for staff about how they could mitigate these risks and support people in the safest way possible.

Medicines were managed, stored and administered safely in the home and people received their medicines as prescribed.

People were supported effectively by staff who were knowledgeable and skilled in their work. All new staff were required to complete an induction programme and staff were supported by management and other senior members of staff.

People were supported to express their preferences and wishes. People’s mental capacity had been assessed so it was clear what choices people could make for themselves. People were also supported to access advocates who could act on their behalf.

People were supported to maintain a healthy dietary intake. People’s intake of food and fluid was monitored where necessary. People were consulted regarding the meal choices and people’s food was prepared according to their dietary needs. Timely referrals were made to other relevant healthcare professionals where concerns were raised regarding a person’s health or wellbeing.

Staff had developed a caring relationship with people and were aware of people’s care needs. People’s support plans were person centred and detailed how peoples care needs should be met. Support plans and risk assessments were regularly reviewed to reflect any changes in peoples support needs. However, the way that people’s care records had been written did not demonstrate that they had been written in a person centred way. People were consistently treated with dignity and respect. People were supported to be as independent as possible and people’s friends and relatives could visit without restriction.

There was a complaints procedure in place and people were able to raise a complaint if needed. Complaints were listened to and acted on.

The provider and manager were approachable and the service was well run. Staff felt supported and there was open and frequent communication between the management, staff and people who lived in the home. The provider was aware of the day to day culture of the home and worked alongside the staff.

There were a number of systems in place to monitor and assess the quality of the service being delivered. The provider carried out a number of audits to highlight potential areas for improvement. Whilst there were no action plans, the provider was able to demonstrate that they took remedial action where necessary.

A single inspector carried out this inspection. We focused on the five key questions relevant to this inspection: Was the service safe? Was the service effective? Was the service caring? Was the service responsive to people’s needs? Was the service well led?

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes the records we looked at and what people and staff told us to help us form our judgement. If you would like to see the evidence that supports the summary, please read the full report.

Was the service safe?

People were cared for in an environment that was safe, clean and hygienic. Equipment at the home had been well maintained and serviced regularly. Risk assessment and risk reduction plans were in place so that people were kept as safe as possible. There were safeguarding policies in place to help protect people from abuse.

We saw that sufficient staff were employed to meet people’s needs. All staff were receiving training and supervision appropriate to their role. This meant that people received the care and support they needed to keep them safe.

CQC monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards which applies to people living in care homes. Proper policies and procedures were in place so that people who could not make decisions for themselves were protected. Relevant staff had been trained to understand when an application to deprive someone of their liberty should be made and how to submit one.

Was the service effective?

People we spoke with told us they liked living at Whitehaven Residential Care Home. One person told us, “The care here is very good. Staff are friendly and helpful.”

We spoke with a visiting health professional who said, “If there is a problem they let us know and we get here as soon as possible.” This told us that the service liaised with visiting health and social care professionals in a timely way to ensure people received effective care and treatment.

We saw that people’s care plans were reviewed frequently. Any changes to the care that people needed were clearly recorded within the person’s care plan.

Was the service caring?

We spoke with one person, who told us, “They treat you with respect and kindness.” We spoke with staff who demonstrated that they understood the specific needs of people living at the home. We observed the way staff interacted with people and saw that they were warm and friendly. Staff were attentive to people’s needs and supported them to be as independent as possible.

Was the service responsive to people’s needs?

The records we looked at showed that people’s needs were assessed and care plans developed so that the risks to people were minimised. We saw that the service responded appropriately to the changing needs of people.

People told us that they could spend their day where and how they wished. However, some people stated that they would like to go out a bit more. They told us that their choices around daily living were respected by staff.

People knew how to make a complaint and who to speak to should they feel they needed to.

Was the service well led?

Staff told us that they felt well supported and were well trained to do their jobs. They were clear about their roles and responsibilities.

There were systems in place to ensure the provider captured feedback and learning and we saw that this was acted on appropriately. Regular audits were taking place and this meant that the provider ensured people were cared for in a safe environment.

We undertook an unannounced inspection to Whitehaven to check they were meeting the care, health and social needs of people. We spoke with people living there, two professional visitors, members of staff and the owner/manager.

During our visit we saw people were attending Holy Communion, a health professional who was assessing a person's nutritional changes with other people carrying out their own hobbies and interests.

People we spoke with were in general complimentary about the service, one person said: "The staff look after me very well, I am very comfortable here and I see the doctor quite often so I am well looked after." Another person said: "I get to do what I like, I go to see people in the dining room although I like being in my own room." "I have just had Communion, I always attended church and it is good to keep this going."

We looked at people's records, checked the medication, and looked at how infection control was managed. We checked staff recruitment records and saw how staff training was organised and supported by the manager. We looked at how people's nutritional needs were being met and saw a health professional during our visit who had been requested by the manager for advice for a person with changing needs. This showed us that people's health and welfare was reviewed on a regular basis.

We spoke with two people in private and five people within the dining room during our visit. Seven of the seven people we spoke with told us they were very happy with everything , their rooms, meals and the staff attitude and helpfulness.

One person told us "I have been here for a few months and have made some new friends, I like to sit and chat to one during lunch time when we meet up".

Another person said "I go out for a walk regularly, I have been out this morning and some of my friends take me out because I have always been active".

Some people told us they get to see their relatives regularly with one saying "My daughter comes to see me twice a week and she does my shopping for me".

We saw visitors being welcomed into the home and offered a drink with the person they were visiting.

We spoke with both proprietors and checked some records and toured the premises during our visit to Whitehaven.

During our inspection on 17 January 2012 we spoke with seven people who use the service.

Everyone we spoke with said that they were satisfied with the service. They told us that staff were kind, patient and respectful. We heard that people were encouraged to maintain their independence and staff involved them in all decisions.

People told us that the care and support they received met their needs. People with ongoing health needs said that staff looked after them very well and people who needed to take medicines were happy with the support they received from staff.

We heard that the food was good. People were mostly satisfied with the occasional activities arranged by the staff. However, two people we spoke with said they would like more to do. The manager told us that this was being addressed.

People said that they felt safe living at Whitehaven. None of the people we spoke to had any complaints but they told us that they felt confident that the manager would take action if they raised any concerns.