This comprehensive inspection took place on 5 December 2017 and was announced. This was to ensure someone would be available to speak with us and show us records.

The last inspection took place in October 2016 and the home was rated 'requires improvement' in Safe, Effective, Well Led and overall. Caring and Responsive were rated 'good'. We found breaches of Regulations relating to safe care and treatment, staff recruitment, consent to care and treatment and good governance. Following the last inspection, we asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when they would make the necessary improvements to meet regulations. During this inspection, we found that improvements had been made.

Battersway Court is a 'care home' for up to four people. 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. At the time of the inspection, three people were living at the home.

Battersway Court can accommodate up to four people on the upper floor of one adapted building. The home consists of shared living, dining and kitchen area with three bedrooms having their own en-suite facilities.

The care service had been developed and designed in line with 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 home had a registered manager who was also the provider. 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.

Quality auditing systems in the service had been fully reviewed and were now effective. There were systems in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of care. The provider undertook regular checks to ensure people’s care needs were being met and documentation was being maintained. The deputy manager carried out daily and monthly cleaning audits and monthly health and safety, infection control, environment and food hygiene audits. Care plans were reviewed monthly or if people’s needs changed. Any concerns were highlighted and action was taken. The provider also arranged an annual health and safety audit completed by an external company.

Where accidents and incidents had taken place, these had been reviewed and action had been taken to ensure the risk to people was minimised. Premises and equipment were maintained to ensure people were kept safe and there were arrangements in place to deal with foreseeable emergencies.

People felt they were treated with kindness and said their privacy and dignity was respected. People's care plans contained information about what was important to them and how care should be delivered. People were involved in reviewing care plans and were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

Risks had been assessed for each person and action had been taken to reduce identified risks. Risk assessments gave staff clear instructions on how to keep people safe whilst maintaining their independence.

People were protected by staff who knew how to recognise possible signs of abuse. Staff told us what signs they would look for and the procedures they would follow to report these. Safeguarding contact numbers were accessible to staff and people who lived at Battersway Court.

Recruitment procedures were in place to ensure only people of good character were employed by the home. Potential staff underwent pre-employment ch

We inspected Battersway Court on 28 and 31 October 2016. This was an announced inspection. We informed the registered provider at short notice (24 hours before) that we would be visiting. We did this so that staff could reassure and prepare one person who suffered from anxiety when official people visited the home. As the location is a small care home for people who can be out during the day we also needed to be sure that someone would be in. The home was last inspected in November 2013 and was meeting the regulations we inspected at the time.

Battersway Court provides accommodation and care for up to four people. People living at the home have learning disabilities. On the day of our inspection, three people were living at the home. The home is located within a quiet residential area. People lived in an apartment above the registered provider's home. Each person had their own bedroom. Communal space consisted of a large lounge area and kitchen with dining area.

The home was not required to have a registered manager as the provider managed the home. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People told us they liked living at the home, they were happy, they liked the staff and the staff were kind. Our inspection found that whilst the service offered people a homely environment and their care needs were being supported; there were shortfalls in a number of areas that required improvement. Robust recruitment procedures were not in place, the environment was not always safe, there was no system to support staff development, the provider had failed to submit a safeguarding notification to the Care Quality Commission and the provider did not have governance systems in place to assure quality of care.

Battersway Court was a family run home were the registered provider lived on the premises. Apart from the registered provider the home only employed one full time member of staff, the deputy manager. The deputy manager was responsible for the day to day running of the home. Sickness and absence due to holidays were covered by part time staff who were related to the provider and only covered on a casual voluntary basis. We have made a recommendation that the provider keep staffing levels under review.

People were at risk of receiving care from unsuitable staff because robust recruitment procedures were not being applied. People were supported by the registered provider and deputy manager who had received training and support for their role. However, casual staff had not received any formal training. There was no system in place for ensuring that staff training was kept up to date and training was reviewed in respect of changing needs of the people living in the home. There was no system for ensuring staff received supervision, support or professional development.

Although staff had the knowledge to protect people from abuse there had been a failure to report a safeguarding notification to the Care Quality Commission so that it could be investigated properly.

The provider did not have effective systems in place to make sure the quality of service they provided was regularly monitored and assessed to prevent inappropriate or unsafe care. The home was not actively seeking the views of a range of stakeholders in order to learn and improve.

People were administering their medicines. The home had provided lockable storage facilities within people's bedrooms, assessed people's understanding and carried out risk assessments which were regularly reviewed.

People's rights were protected by the correct use of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005. People's health care needs were met through regular healthcare appointments and liaison with health care profe

Three people live at this service. Each person was independent and spent much of their time with minimal staff involvement. For example, everyone completed household jobs, such as vacuuming and cleaning. We saw that staff were always available elsewhere on the premises in case anyone needed support at any time.

Only one person in the service agreed to talk to us. The others declined to meet us and went out for the day. We also spoke to three support staff, and viewed care records

People's needs had been assessed and their likes and dislikes recorded. Support was then delivered accordingly to maintain each person's independence..

We saw that care records had been well written and described how people were at the centre of all decisions they made. We saw that they were regularly reviewed in order to remain up to date and were signed by the person to denote their agreement to the contents.

From the care records, we saw that people were referred to relevant health professionals, such as doctors and dentists, when necessary.

Staff treated people respectfully. One person in the service told us “they’re all nice people".

The service had systems in place to protect people from abuse. For example, policies and procedures that kept people safe. Support staff were knowledgeable about safeguarding and how they would respond to any concerns that arose.

We saw that there were processes in place to monitor the quality of support being provided at the service.

Three people lived at Battersway Court at the time of our inspection. People living there had learning difficulties. During the morning we sat and talked with them, they told us what is what it was like to live there. One person said, “It’s great, it’s my home and they are all my family.”

Staff treated people with respect and were friendly and patient. Battersway Court had a warm, relaxed atmosphere. People were supported to be independent, for example, in completing household tasks. People took part in activities in their community

Assessments of people's needs had been completed and care was planned and delivered accordingly. People's needs were reviewed and appropriate referrals were made to health professionals when needed. Systems were in place to protect people from abuse.

Staff received appropriate training and support. No new staff had been recruited at the service for many years. Staff had undergone enhanced criminal bureau checks.

All records seen were up to date and were stored securely.

Four people live at Battersway Court. We met them all, sitting in the lounge or in the garden. They each showed us their private room, which they were proud of. They told us that their visitors had been ‘amazed’ at the quality of their furniture.

They told us about activities they had enjoyed, including going to Cornwall with the Support Workers, going swimming, and working at a garden centre. One often went shopping and liked to find bargains. They told us about more holidays they were looking forward to.

Two lodgers had done first aid training, and two had done fire safety training. One had recently given up a part time job, because they were finding it stressful, and had taken on work around the house, including mowing the grass.

They said they liked the home owner’s cooking. They told us they have barbecues and parties for each other’s birthdays, and invite visitors.