The inspection was unannounced and took place on the 22 and 29 January 2018. This was the first time the service had been inspected.

Field View is a ‘care 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.

The service is registered to accommodate up to five people and is in a domestic type building. There is a secure garden to the rear of the premises and local transport links.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

At the time of the inspection there was a registered manager in post within the service, however they were not available. The operations manager was made available to support us with the inspection process. 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.

During the inspection we identified breaches of Regulation 12 and 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. This was because the registered provider’s systems had failed to take action to rectify hot water temperatures which were well in excess of safe levels, and posed a scalding risk to people using the service. We also identified a breach of Regulation 18 of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009 because the registered provider had failed to notify the CQC where people were subject to a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard (DoLS).

You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.

People were protected from the risk of abuse. Staff had been received training in safeguarding people and knew how to report any concerns they may have to the relevant authority.

Recruitment processes were robust and ensured that staff were of suitable character to work with vulnerable people. New staff had been subject to a check by the disclosure and baring service (DBS) and had also been required to provide two references.

People were supported to take their medication as prescribed. People’s medication was stored securely and audits were carried out to ensure stock levels were correct and that relevant processes were being followed by staff.

Staffing levels were sufficient to meet the needs of people using the service. We checked staffing rotas and identified that consistent numbers of staff were on duty.

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. This helped ensure that the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were being met.

Staff had received the training they required to carry out their roles effectively and new staff had also been supported to undertake a period of induction. This helped ensure that staff had the skills they needed to support people.

People’s dietary needs were clearly documented in their care records and they were supported to have a nutritious diet during meal times.

People were supported to access health professionals to help maintain their physical and mental wellbeing.

Positive relationships had developed between people and staff which was evident in their interactions with each other. Staff were kind and friendly towards people and supported people to maintain their dignity.

Care records contained personalised informati