The inspection was carried out on 27 July 2017 and was announced.

Bellerophon House is a social housing with care (HWC) scheme with 41 one or two bedroom flats. At the time of this inspection an on-site Domiciliary Care team provided by Everycare (Medway/Swale) Ltd delivered personal care to ten people. Everycare took over the care delivery from another provider in July 2016. Most people received less than ten hours care a week and remained independent in most aspects of their daily lives. Three of the people receiving personal care did not live alone. The Domiciliary Care team assisted people to maintain their health and wellbeing by helping them with personal care tasks or preparing meals. The accommodation was managed by a housing association. Each of the flats had its own lounge, kitchen and bathroom facilities and was fitted with emergency call facilities. For example, a lifeline telephone. A lift was available to take people between floors. There was a small communal lounge.

There was a registered manager employed at the service. 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 Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors the operation of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) Code of Practice. The registered manager understood when the code of practice needed to be used so that decisions people made about their care or medical treatment were dealt with lawfully.

Staff understood their responsibilities to protect people from harm. Risks were assessed and management plans implemented by staff to protect people from harm. Staff had received training about protecting people from abuse, based on the provider's policies. The management team had access to and understood the safeguarding policies of the local authority and followed the safeguarding processes.

There were policies and a procedure in place for the safe administration of medicines. Staff followed these policies and had been trained to administer medicines safely.

People had access to GPs and their health and wellbeing was supported by prompt referrals and access to medical care if they became unwell.

Staff provided friendly compassionate care and support. People were involved in how their care was planned and delivered. Staff knew people well and people had been asked about who they were and about their life experiences.

The registered manager planned people’s care by assessing their needs and then by asking people if they were happy with the care they received.

Staff upheld people’s right to choose who was involved in their care and people’s right to do things for themselves was respected. Community participation was encouraged and supported.

Incidents and accidents were recorded and checked by the registered manager to see what steps could be taken to prevent these happening again.

Individual and general risks in the service had been assessed and staff understood the actions they needed to take to minimise risk. Managers planned for emergencies, so that should they happen people’s care needs would continue to be met. Emergency life line and staff on call systems were in place.

Recruitment policies were in place. Safe recruitment practices had been followed before staff started working at the service. The registered manager employed enough staff to meet people’s assessed needs. Staffing levels were kept under constant review as people’s needs changed.

Staff supported people to maintain their health by ensuring people had enough to eat and drink.

People understood how to make a complaint if they needed to.

People told us that the service was well led. They told us that managers were approachable and listened to their views. The registered manager understood the balan