This inspection took place on the 14 September 2017 and was unannounced.

Woodcote Grove Road is a care home that provides accommodation and personal care for up to six people with a learning disability. The accommodation includes six single occupancy bedrooms of which two are self-contained flats. There were six people using the service at the time of our inspection.

At the last inspection in May 2015, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good. The service demonstrated they continued to meet the regulations and fundamental standards.

People's needs were assessed and reviewed to ensure they received all the support they needed. The care plan records included important information on how each person liked to live their life. People were encouraged to set personal goals and were supported to achieve these.

Risks to people’s health and well-being were assessed and kept under review. Staff took action to minimise these risks and keep people safe. Care plans provided guidance for staff to support the positive management of behaviours that may challenge the service and others.

Staff knew how to recognise and report any concerns they had about people’s care and welfare and how to protect them from abuse. The provider followed an appropriate recruitment process to employ suitable staff.

People were supported to keep healthy and take their medicines safely. Any changes to their health or wellbeing were responded to quickly. Referrals were made to other professionals as necessary to help keep people safe and well.

There were enough staff to support people’s needs and staff worked flexibly to support people with their preferred interests, activities and hobbies. People enjoyed varied social and leisure activities and had opportunities to try new ones.

The service continued to be kept clean, well maintained and furnished to comfortable standards. The standards of décor and personalisation by people who used the service supported this.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff showed understanding, patience and treated people with respect and dignity.

There was an established registered manager who continued to provide effective leadership. Staff felt supported in their roles and kept their knowledge and skills updated through ongoing training. The registered provider had values for the service, which were known and shared by the staff team.

There was an open and inclusive atmosphere and effective communication. People, their families and staff were encouraged to share their views and contribute to developing the service. People knew how to complain and make suggestions, and were confident their views would be acted upon.

The provider continued to use effective systems to monitor the quality and safety of the service and make improvements when needed. Action plans were followed to address any areas that required attention.

This inspection took place on the 7 May 2015 and was unannounced. We previously inspected the service in June 2013. At that time the provider was meeting the regulations we inspected.

100 Woodcote Grove Road is a care home that provides accommodation and personal care for up to six adults with learning disabilities. The accommodation includes six single occupancy bedrooms of which two are self-contained flats. There were six people using the service at the time of our inspection.

There was a registered manager who had been working at the service since December 2014. 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 lived in a safe environment. Staff knew how to protect people from avoidable harm and they ensured the premises and equipment were regularly checked and maintained. They were aware of their responsibilities to protect people from being harmed or abused and understood how to report any safeguarding concerns.

Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were managed and staff took steps to minimise risks without taking away people’s rights to make decisions. Care plans provided guidance for staff to support the positive management of behaviours that may challenge the service and others.

People received care in line with their wishes and preferences and were treated with dignity and respect. The staff responded to people in a calm and caring way and understood their different needs.

People were assisted in maintaining their health and taking their medicines safely. The service made sure health and social care professionals were involved when people became unwell or required additional services. People’s nutritional needs were assessed and monitored and people were supported to keep healthy.

People were supported to take part in activities they enjoyed and to access the community to meet their social needs. Their independence was recognised and encouraged; they led their chosen lifestyle and had the opportunity to make the most of their abilities. Staff knew how to communicate with people and involve them in how they were supported and cared for. People were also supported to maintain relationships with their relatives and friends.

Where people did not have the capacity to consent, care was provided in their best interests. The manager and staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. They took appropriate action where a person may be deprived of their liberty.

The staff were given ongoing training that enabled them to meet people’s different needs. Any further training needs had been identified and planned for. Staff felt well supported in their roles and the standard and quality of their work was kept under review.

The registered manager provided leadership to staff and was accessible and supportive. There was an open culture and people and their families were involved in developing the service.

Suitable arrangements were in place to monitor and assure the quality of the service that people received. The service worked in partnership with other organisations. Feedback from the health and social care professionals involved in people’s care and treatment was very positive.

During our inspection we met four out of the five people who lived at Woodcote Grove Road. We saw staff treated people who used the service with kindness and respect. One person who used the service told us, “the staff are friendly and I can talk to them”.

We saw that the home had very recently made great efforts to ensure that all documentation regarding people who used the service, including relevant policies, were in a format suitable for people living at the home. The home had also recently increased the range and number of community activities available to people who used the service.

The lack of stability caused by the frequent changes in manager, and by the recent departure of the regional manager had impacted on the welfare of people who used the service. However, was hoped that with the recent appointment of a new manager who held a strategic overview that outcomes would improve for people within the service.

We talked to four out of the five people that live at Woodcote Grove Road, although everyone was able to talk to us, it was often not meaningful. Instead, we gathered information by being with people and their general conversations with us and through observations.

We found that people who use the service were given choices and looked forward to going out to their various activities. They were settled and happy there, and were at ease with the staff team.

Two people are able to live semi-independent lives having their own front doors and self contained flats; whilst still having the facilities and activities available from to those in the main house.

In general, people who live at Woodcote Grove Road are happy with being there. Two people are able to live semi-independent lives having their own front doors and self contained flats; whilst still having the facilities and activities available from to those in the main house.

People who use the service, feel that they are listened to and that their views will be actioned; they have confidence to talk to the acting manager. People like the fact that they can visit relatives when they want, or that people can visit them.

The service has a new acting manager who has already identified areas within the home where improvements could be made. Once a permanent manager has been appointed, that person needs to become registered, so that continued improvements can be maintained.

We would like to thank everyone at Woodcote Grove Road for their time and co-operation during the inspection.