We undertook an unannounced inspection of Bendalls Farm on 4 July 2018. When the service was last inspected in March 2017, three breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 were identified. These related to failings in the assessment of risk, risks to legionella bacteria in the water were not being managed consistently, people’s legal rights in relation to decision ¿making and restrictions were not always ¿upheld and the provider’s quality assurance systems were not ¿always effective in ensuring that any areas ¿for improvement were identified and acted ¿upon.

Following the last inspection, we asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the key questions, Safe, Effective and Well led to at least good.

The provider wrote to us in June 2017 and told us how they would achieve compliance with the regulations. During this inspection we found the identified improvements had been made.

Bendalls Farm 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.

Bendalls Farm provides support for up to ten people with learning disabilities and/or mental ¿health needs.

The care service worked 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.

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 protected from abuse because staff understood the correct procedure to follow if they had any concerns. Staff informed us they were confident concerns would be followed up if they were raised. People appeared happy in the company of the staff.

Risks to people were ¿assessed and managed. People received effective support from staff to help them manage at times when they became anxious. People received their medicines safely.

There were suitable staff levels in the home and staff were recruited safely.

Staff were suitably skilled, and they received on-going training and support to ensure they had the skills and knowledge required to effectively support people.

People were involved in decisions about their lives and their legal rights were upheld in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005, people were able to make unwise decisions where they had capacity to do this.

People were involved in planning their menus.

Staff monitored people’s health and well-being and made sure they had access to other healthcare professionals according to their individual needs.

People’s diverse needs were well supported; they chose a range of activities, work ¿placements and trips out.

Staff had built trusting relationships with people over time. Staff interactions with people were positive and caring.

Staff knew people and understood their care and support needs. People were supported by staff to plan and achieve their goals. People were involved in planning and reviewing their care and support.

There were systems in place to ¿share information and seek people's views about their care and the running of the home.¿

This inspection took place on 29 March and 3 April 2017 and was unannounced. Two adult social ¿care inspectors carried it out.¿

Bendalls Farm provides support for up to ten people with learning disabilities and/or mental ¿health needs. ¿

A registered manager was responsible for the service. This 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 protected from abuse and avoidable harm; risks to people were not always fully ¿assessed or well managed. People received effective support to help them manage their ¿behaviour. People’s diverse needs were well supported; they chose a range of activities, work ¿placements and trips out. There were mixed views about staffing levels; this sometimes affected ¿people’s choices of trips out.¿

People interacted well with staff. Staff had built trusting relationships with people over time. One ¿person said, “It’s good here. Staff are really nice to you.” Another person told us, “Yeah, it’s ok ¿living here. I get on ok with the staff.” ¿

Staff knew people and understood their care and support needs. Staff encouraged people to try ¿new things and supported them to ‘move on’ if people chose to. People were part of their ¿community and were encouraged to be as independent as they could be.¿

People, and those close to them, were involved in planning and reviewing their care and support. ¿Some care planning needed to be reviewed. People made choices about their own lives, ¿although their legal rights in relation to decision making and restrictions were not always upheld. ¿Improvements were needed to ensure people had a homely place to live.¿

Staff were well supported and well trained, although on line training needed to be completed ¿more effectively. Staff spoke highly of the care they were able to provide to people. One staff ¿member said, “I would say our relationships with the guys here are pretty good really. It does take ¿time to get to know them but once you do we get on well.” ¿

There was a management structure in the home, which provided clear lines of responsibility and ¿accountability. All staff worked hard to provide the best level of care possible to people. The aims ¿of the service were well defined and adopted by the staff team.¿

The quality assurance systems in place were not fully effective. There were systems in place to ¿share information and seek people's views about their care and the running of the home.¿

We found three breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) ¿Regulations 2014. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full ¿version of the report.¿