An Auchinleck care home has been given a 'good' inspection report after a recent visit, with families singing the facility's praises.

Berryknowe Service is a combined housing support and care-at-home service in Auchinleck.

The service provides support to a maximum of 10 adults over 16 years with a learning disability and/or mental health condition.

Watchdog bosses at the Care Inspectorate carried out an unannounced visit to the home in April, with the overriding feedback being positive- although there were some areas for improvement highlighted.

The report said that people were happy living at Berryknowe and that there was a nice, relaxed atmosphere.

It added that staff knew residents well and that people were involved in their personal plans, where possible.

In evaluating quality, inspectors use a six-point scale where 'one' is unsatisfactory and 'six' is excellent.

Berryknowe scored a 'four' on two categories assessed in the visit.

The report read: "Staff knew people well and were compassionate and respectful in the interactions observed.

"However, staff were observed to be task focussed, this meant that despite the very good personal plans, they did not always translate into people's day-to-day experiences."

It added that "there was good engagement in consultation meetings for people to discuss what was important to them and that being acted upon.

"People felt well connected to their friends and family. Families commented that they were made to feel welcome at Berryknowe."

One family member told inspectors: "They [staff] know what they're doing to support him well and they always go the extra mile."

One area for improvement cited in the inspection said: "The manager needs to make regular observations to monitor the improvement of the mealtime experience for people once it has been imbedded.

"To ensure that people are supported in a person-centred way there is a need to review the leadership and culture.

"Some of the team told us they felt overwhelmed by the level of tasks and were aware that this had a negative impact on people.

"Leaders should encourage the team to become involved in quality assurance systems and activities, including self-evaluation, promoting responsibility and accountability. This would support team development and improve outcomes for people.

"We were able to see an overview of training completed by the staff team, which meant gaps were easily identifiable.

"This meant that the manager was confident in staff being appropriately trained for their role."