The inspection took place on 17 July 2017 and was announced. The provider was given short notice of our visit in line with our current methodology for inspecting this type of service. This was the first comprehensive inspection at the service since the provider registered with the Care Quality Commission in August 2016.

Ashmount Court comprises of 16 self-contained flats and is situated near Doncaster. The service provides 24 hour recovery based support for people with complex mental health needs.

At the time of our inspection the service did not have 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. The service was managed on a day to day basis by the scheme manager, who had support from a registered manager within the same company.

The service had a system in place to safeguard people from abuse. Staff we spoke with told us they had attended training and learned how to recognise and report abuse if needed.

We looked at support plans and found that risks associated with people’s support had been identified. These included ways of minimising the risk to help keep people safe.

People received their medicines in a safe way and as they were prescribed. The provider had a safe administration of medicines procedure which had four different levels of support. These were identified in people’s support plans and reviewed on a regular basis.

Staff were recruited in a safe way. Pre-employment checks were completed prior to them commencing work at the service. Staff received an induction to the service which included training, reading policies and procedures and getting to know people who used the service. New starters worked alongside experienced staff until they were confident in their new role.

We spoke with people who used the service and they felt there were enough staff around to support their needs. Staff felt they worked well as a team.

Staff received training and support to carry out their responsibilities. Staff told us that training was provided on a frequent basis and was informative. Staff also received regular discussions with their line manager to reflect on their practice and to discuss job related issues.

We checked to see if the provider was meeting the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. We found that staff were aware of the principles of the act and ensured they obtained consent prior to supporting people.

Where required staff gave assistance to people to shop for food and to develop cooking skills. We saw the service had recipes to promote healthy eating.

Access to healthcare professionals was sought when required and without delay. This was documented and advice given was discussed with people and recorded in their recovery support plan.

People who used the service were complementary about the staff team and felt they did all they could to involve them in their support.

We observed staff interacting with people during our inspection. Staff were understanding and supportive and encouraged people to make their own choices.

People had recovery support plans in place which were tailored to meet their individual circumstances. These were reviewed regularly to ensure people’s needs were being met.

We saw that concerns were responded to appropriately and where necessary included meetings with the complainants in order to resolve issues. The scheme manager told us that complaints were used in a positive manner to develop the service.

People we spoke with felt the management team were supportive and inclusive. They offered opportunities for people to comment about the service and listened to people’s views.

Audits were completed to ensure the service was meeting the objectives within t