About the service: Briery Lodge is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to six people with a learning disability at the time of the inspection.

Registering the Right Support has values which include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. This is to ensure people with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen. The home was meeting the principles of this policy.

People’s experience of using this service:

People had clear risk assessments and documented plans to manage the risks to their safety.

Staff were well trained and supported people to meet their needs and provide safe and effective care.

People received support from staff who were kind and compassionate and understood their preferences. Staff supported people to make choices and understood their communication needs. People were encouraged to be independent and their privacy and dignity was respected.

People were supported to do things they enjoyed and went out into the community. People’s preferences were understood by staff and they were involved in their care and support. People understood how to make a complaint and were listened to.

There were systems to monitor the quality of care which were effective. There were plans in place for any areas for improvement.

The registered manager had systems in place to learn when things went wrong and worked with staff to create a positive culture in the home.

The service met the characteristics of Good in all areas;

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection: At the last inspection the service was rated Good (report published 8 July 2016).

Why we inspected: This was a scheduled inspection based on the previous rating.

This inspection was unannounced and took place on 13 April 2016.

Briery Lodge provides accommodation and care for up to seven people and the home was fully occupied when we carried out the inspection.

The home had a registered manager who was present for the inspection. 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 did not always receive their medicines as prescribed. Staff were nearby to support people when needed and people felt safe living in the home. Staff were aware of the signs of abuse and their responsibility of sharing this with the registered manager and other external agencies to protect people from further harm. Care practices and systems in place reduced the risk of harm to people.

People were cared for by staff who were trained and received one to one [supervision] sessions from the registered manager. Staff were aware of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and when a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard application should be applied for to protect people’s human rights. People had access to healthcare services to ensure their physical and mental health needs were met. Staff were aware of people’s dietary needs and the support they required to eat and drink sufficient amounts.

People were treated with kindness and were supported to be involved in planning their care. People’s right to privacy and dignity was respected by the staff.

People were encouraged to have a say in how they received their care and support and were also assisted by staff to pursue their hobbies and interests. People felt confident to share their concerns with the registered manager or the staff and complaints were well managed.

People were encouraged to be involved in the running of the home and were supported to maintain links with their local community. There was a clear leadership in the home and people and staff knew who the registered manager was. Systems were in place to monitor the quality of service provided to people.