The Homestead

The Homestead is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The service is registered to provide care for up to 68 older people and is prepared to accommodate individuals living with dementia. On the day of our inspection 64 people were living at the home.

At our last inspection we had rated the service Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of Good. According to the findings of our inspection and ongoing monitoring there were no serious risks or concerns relating to the functioning of the service. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

There was 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.

Why the service is rated Good. The service was outstanding in their responsiveness. The service went the extra mile in providing people with a broad variety of activities to prevent social isolation. The service was extremely responsive to people's needs and wishes. People and their relatives told us that staff went over and above their call of duty which made a profound difference to people's lives. People emphasized the fact that they were delighted by the events organised by the service. People using the service and their relatives knew how to raise a concern or make a complaint.

The service continued to ensure people were safe. Staff understood potential signs of abuse, were aware of their responsibilities to report any concerns and knew how to do this. People had a range of individualised risk assessments in place to keep them safe and to help them maintain their independence. Medicines were stored and administered safely. There were enough appropriately trained staff to meet people's needs. The provider followed appropriate recruitment procedures to ensure they employed staff who were suitable to provide care.

People continued to receive effective care. People were supported by staff who were suitably trained and supported in their roles. People were given choice and provided with support in accordance with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act. People had their nutritional needs met. We observed a lunch time meal and noted people were consuming appetizing food in a relaxed atmosphere.

The Homestead continued to provide a caring service to people. Staff consistently demonstrated kindness

and compassion towards people. People and, where appropriate, their relatives were involved in making decisions about the care and support people received. People's choices and preferences were respected.

The service continued to be well-led. People, their relatives and staff spoke highly of the management. There were systems in place that monitored the quality of the service, resolved issues and strived for continuous improvement. Staff felt engaged and empowered working at the service.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found