Lindisfarne Seaham

This inspection took place on 19 and 21 September 2018 and the first day was unannounced.

At our last inspection on 21 and 24 March 2016 we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns.

This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection. The home was meeting the requirements of the fundamental standards.

People, relatives and staff felt the service was still a safe place. People were protected from the risk of abuse because staff understood how to identify and report it.

We received mixed comments about staffing levels. Management were monitoring and increasing staffing levels to meet the needs of people in the home.

People received their medicine safely and were supported to access the support of health care professionals when needed.

Where risks were identified to people who used the service or to the environment these were assessed and plans put in place to reduce them. Accidents and incidents were analysed to identify trends and reduce risks.

People's needs had been assessed both before and after their admission to identify their care needs.

Staff were well supported and received the training they needed. Training levels were closely monitored and there were high levels of completion. Training was also being developed to give staff more opportunities to reflect on their practice.

People received a varied and nutritional diet that met their preferences and dietary needs. The service provided a range of nutritional food and drink which were adapted for different diets.

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.

People told us they thought the service was very caring and we observed compassionate and caring interactions between people and staff. People told us, and we observed, that care was delivered with dignity and respect and people were supported to be as independent as possible.

Care plans were very detailed and reflected people's needs and preferences. Care plans were evaluated regularly and included meaningful information about people's needs.

People were actively engaged in a range of activities and had regular opportunities to access the wider community.

Feedback on the service was encouraged in a range of ways and was positive. People told us they did not have any concerns about the service but knew how to raise a complaint if needed.

The management team were approachable and they and the staff team worked in collaboration with external agencies to provide good outcomes for people. Processes were in place to assess and monitor the quality of the service provided and drive improvement. We saw on-going improvement plans being put into action.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found