This unannounced inspection took place on 20 November 2018.

Branwell Manor is a care home for up to eight people. At the time of this inspection there were eight people living at the 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. Branwell Manor consists of one building with two floors tailored to support adults with complex needs including autism spectrum conditions, physical and learning disabilities.

This location was last inspected on 14 March 2016 and at that time was rated good in all domains. At this inspection we found some areas required improvement and we identified two breaches in regulation in relation to consent and good governance.

On the day of our inspection a registered manager was in place. 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 provider was not fully compliant with the Mental Capacity Act 2015 because decision specific mental capacity assessments and best interest decisions were not routinely completed. There was no evidence people were being restricted or receiving care that was not in their best interests.

Systems were in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality of the service however areas for improvement that had been identified in the provider’s own internal audit had not be solved and were found again during this inspection.

People told us they felt safe using the service and relatives corroborated this. Safeguarding procedures were in place and staff knew what to do if safeguarding concerns were identified.

People’s medicines were managed safely.

There were assessments in place that identified relevant risks to people and management plans to reduce these risks were in place to ensure people's safety. There were sufficient staffing levels to meet people’s needs and provide a flexible service.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

People were provided with personalised care and support. People’s needs in relation to the protected characteristics under the Equalities Act 2010, were taken into account in the planning of their care. People's communication needs were assessed and staff adapted their communication to better meet people’s needs.

People were supported to eat a balanced diet that met their individual dietary needs. They were supported to access healthcare services in order to maintain their health.

People and their relatives told us staff were kind and caring and their privacy and dignity were respected by staff.

Staff told us they felt supported by the management team and the team communicated regularly and effectively. People, relatives and staff had confidence in the leadership of the service.

People lived in a service which had been adapted to meet their needs and was focussed on providing high quality care that improved the wellbeing and independence of people living in the home. The service worked in partnership with other agencies to support care provision.

The inspection took place on 14 March 2016 and was unannounced.

Branwell Manor provides accommodation for up to eight people with learning and physical disabilities. On the day of our inspection there were six people living in Branwell Manor.There was a registered manager in place, they had been in post since October 2015. 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 atmosphere in the home was warm and welcoming both from the people who used the service and the staff team. The service had safe recruitment processes in place and appropriate checks were undertaken before staff began work at Branwell Manor. This showed staff had been appropriately checked to make sure they were suitable and safe to work with vulnerable people.

We saw there was enough staff on duty to meet people's needs safely. The manager told us a dependency tool was used to calculate the number of staff required for each shift, however this was flexible and could be changed depending on what activities were taking place on a daily basis. This demonstrated the service considered the numbers of staff needed to ensure people's needs were met.

Appropriate arrangements were in place in relation to the safe recording, handling, storage and administration of medicines.

People were supported by, suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff. Staff received regular training which equipped them to meet the needs of the people who used the service. Supervision from the manger was in place for all staff, to monitor their performance and development needs and ensure their skills and competencies were kept up to date..

People's human rights were protected by staff who had received training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).Staff were trained to manage behaviour that challenges others, whilst ensuring people's rights were protected.

People's food and drink met their religious or cultural needs. We saw each person was asked about any food preferences and this was documented in each person’s care plan. People were supported to be able to eat and drink sufficient amounts to meet their needs.

We saw people were supported to express their views and were actively involved in making decisions about their care, treatment and support. People's privacy, dignity and independence were respected. People's views and experiences were taken into account in the way the service was provided and delivered in relation to their care.

There was clear documentation in each person's care plan about their likes and dislikes. Care plans were up to date and gave a detailed picture of how each person liked to be supported.

People were offered choices throughout the day including what activities they would like to do and when.

We saw the complaints procedure was followed and complaints were acted on in a timely manner.

The manager was open to new ideas and keen to learn from others to ensure the best possible outcomes for people living within the home.

The manager regularly worked with staff providing support to people who lived at Branwell Manor, which meant they had an in-depth knowledge of the people living there.

Robust auditing was in place. This meant the registered provider had systems in place to ensure they identified shortfalls and these were addressed in a timely manner.