243 Church Street is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

This is the first inspection since the provider registered this location on 1 November 2017. The service had been in operation for five months at the time of this inspection.

243 Church Street is registered to accommodate five people with a learning disability and associated conditions in one adapted building and provides personal care. There were two people using the service at the time of our inspection. Both people had their own bedroom with ensuite wet rooms. There was also two communal bathrooms, a communal lounge, sensory room, conservatory and large dining kitchen that they could access and a secure outdoor garden space.

243 Church Street met the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

The service had 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.

People received support from sufficient numbers of trained staff who were available to meet their individual needs. People received support from staff who understood their role in protecting them from the risk of harm and reporting any concerns. People were supported to keep safe as environmental risks were assessed and managed. People could spend time doing things they enjoyed because they were supported to take reasonable risks. People were supported in a safe way to take their prescribed medicine. The staff’s suitability to work with people was established before they commenced employment. Staff supported people to keep their home clean and systems were in place to guide staff on the prevention and control of infection.

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 and their representatives were involved in their care to enable them to make decisions about how they wanted to receive support in their preferred way. People received a balanced diet that met their preferences and assessed needs. People were supported to access healthcare services and received coordinated support, to ensure their preferences and needs were met.

Staff knew people well and understood the support they needed and their preferences on how this support was delivered. People were treated with consideration and respect by the staff team and they were supported to maintain their dignity. People were supported to maintain relationships with those who were important to them; such as family and friends.

People were supported to maintain their interests and be part of their local community. The manager and staff team included people and their representatives in the planning of their care. There were processes in place for people and their representatives to raise any concerns about the service provided.

People and their representatives were consulted and involved in the ongoing development of the service. Staff were clear on their roles and responsibilities and felt supported by the management team. The provider understood their legal responsibilities with us and systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service, to enable the registered manager and provider to drive improvement.