17 Heathcote Road is owned by Care Management Group (CMG). The organisation provides 24 hour care and support for up to nine people who live in their own flats in a building which is owned by CMG. People’s flats have ensuite and cooking facilities and there are a variety of communal areas for people to use. The service is presented across two floors with access to the first floor via stairs. There is a private garden with a patio at the rear of the property. At the time of our inspection nine people were living at the service.

The inspection took place on 3 October 2016 and was unannounced.

There was a registered manager in post, and they were at the service at the time of our 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.

This is a supported living service that aims to give people the confidence and skills to live independently. Staff understood to achieve that, people had to be supported to make decisions on their own and be able to understand the consequences of each choice. Throughout our inspection staff helped people to do this, by being available to talk, and spend time discussing issues people had in their lives. The service had a servicely feel and reflected the interests and lives of the people who lived there. There was positive feedback about the service and caring nature of staff from people who live here.

People were safe at 17 Heathcote Road. There were sufficient staff deployed to meet the needs and preferences of the people that lived there. Staff understood their duty should they suspect abuse was taking place, including the agencies that needed to be notified, such as the local authority safeguarding team or the police. Risks of harm to people had been identified and clear plans and guidelines were in place to minimise these risks, without restricting people’s freedom. People were involved in these decisions because staff took the time to explain to them in a way they could understand.

The provider had carried out appropriate recruitment checks to ensure staff were suitable to support people in the service. Staff received a comprehensive induction and ongoing training, tailored to the needs of the people they supported.

People were supported to manage their own medicines where possible. Staff managed the medicines in a safe way and were trained in the safe administration of medicines.

In the event of an emergency people would be protected because there were clear procedures in place to evacuate the building. These procedures were regularly discussed with people to ensure they knew how to respond in an emergency. An alternative location for people to stay was also identified in case the service could not be used for a time.

If people did not have the capacity to understand or consent to a decision the staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005). Appropriate assessments of people’s ability to make decisions for themselves had been completed. Staff asked people for their permission before they provided support.

Where people’s liberty may need to be restricted to keep them safe, the staff understood the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) to ensure the person’s rights were protected. No one had, or needed a DoLS at the time of our inspection.

People were supported to choose healthy options for what they ate and drank and how they led their lives. Staff respected people’s choice to make decisions for themselves.

People were supported to maintain good health as they had access to relevant healthcare professionals when they needed them. When people’s health deteriorated staff responded quickly to help people and made sure they received appropriate tr

We visited 17 Heathcote Road to look at the care and welfare of people who used the service. We spoke to five people who used the service, one of whom said they did not want to speak with us. We also spoke with three members of staff, including the registered manager.

Most of the people we spoke with said they liked living there. Staff were seen to interact well with people. For example by having conversations with them about how they were and the activities they were doing that day. People appeared relaxed and happy.

We saw that systems were in place to ensure staff worked with the consent of people. One person said “They listen to what I say and don’t make me do anything I don’t want to.”

People who used the service had been involved in the planning of care. We saw that risks had been assessed and action taken to protect the welfare and safety of people.

We looked around the house and saw that it was clean and tidy. People who used the service told us they were happy with the standards of cleanliness.

We saw that the manager carried out appropriate checks when they employed staff. This ensured staff were of good character and had the necessary skills and experience to do the job.

All the people we spoke with said they knew how to raise a complaint. Most said that they had never felt the need to complain, but if they did they thought the manager would listen to what they said and take action.

We made an unannounced visit to Care Management Group 7 Heathcote Road and looked at the care and welfare of people who used the service. During our visit we spoke with five people who used the service and four members of staff (including the deputy manager and regional manager). We spent time observing how staff interacted and supported people.

One person told us that "This is the best home ever, staff understand me.” Another said “Staff respect me.” We saw staff treated people with respect, for example by asking permission before showing us care plans.

People received care and welfare that met their needs. A person using the service told us “We can choose what support we want." Feedback from a relative said “Care Management Group have been absolutely life changing for my relative.”

People using the service told us they felt safe with staff. Staff we spoke with were able to identify signs of abuse and knew the actions to take.

The provider had a system in-place for matching staff levels to meet people’s needs. One person told us “I couldn’t wish for a better staff team.”

The staff we spoke to told us they felt supported to do their job. One staff member told us “I love it here and look forward to coming to work everyday.” Another staff member said “They are really hot on training here, we definitely get enough training.”

The provider was regularly assessing and monitoring the quality of the service they provided.

People told us they were involved in decisions about their care and support. People told us they liked having their own flats and being able to be independent and make their own decisions yet know that if they needed support staff were there to talk to.

People said that they had lived elsewhere and that Heathcote Road was the best place to be and that they felt safe. One person’s relatives said that their loved one adores the service and that they have said they feel human now and have a life.

People said they were involved in planning the support they needed and knew who their key worker was and that all of the staff were friendly and helpful.

People said they could say if they were unhappy about something and that they enjoyed having time with other people using the service but also enjoyed having their own space.