This comprehensive inspection took place on 8 and 13 August 2018 and was announced.

This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is rented, and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.

People using the service lived in flats in a purpose-built building in the London borough of Lambeth. At the time of the inspection there were 48 people living within the service, 22 of which received personal care.

The service was registered with the CQC on 17 July 2017 and has not previously been inspected.

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.

People were not always safe as the service employed one staff member during the night period. People and staff expressed their concerns regarding suitable staffing levels at night. We made a recommendation the provider review their staffing levels, to ensure people were safe.

expressed their concerns.

People were protected against the risk of abuse as staff had a clear understanding of how to identify, report and escalated suspected abuse. Staff received ongoing training in safeguarding and confirmed risk management plans gave them clear guidance on mitigating identified risks. Accidents and incidents were reviewed and managed in a way that lessons were learnt to minimise the risk of repeat incidents.

People received their medicines as intend by the prescribing pharmacist. Where people required support with their medicine management, this was provided. People were encouraged and supported to access healthcare professional services to monitor their health and well-being.

People were protected against the risk of cross contamination as the provider had systems and processes in to effectively manager infection control.

People were supported by staff that received ongoing training to enhance their skills and experiences. Staff also reflected on their working practices through regular supervisions with senior staff. People received support from staff that had undergone robust pre-employment checks to ensure their suitability to the role. We received mixed feedback from people about staff that supported them. People confirmed not all staff were as caring and compassionate as they could be.

The service was aware of their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People’s consent to care and treatment was sought prior to being delivered. 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 were supported to access sufficient amounts to eat and drink. We received mixed reviews about the evening meals provided by an external catering company. Issues identified by the registered manager were actioned and people were encouraged to share their concerns about the meals provided with the catering company in the form of a meeting, that took place during the inspection. People were supported to maintain their independence.

People’s care plans were person centred, and reviewed regularly with input from people. Activities were provided by the service and people were encouraged to participate. People were aware of how to raise a complaint. Complaints were fully investigated in a timely manner.

People’s preferences in relation to end o