This inspection took place on 6 April 2017 and was unannounced.

The provider changed their corporate name so they were required to re-register with the Commission under the new name. Although this was the first inspection of The Gables under the new registration, it has been an established service for many years.

The Gables is a residential care home that provides care and support for up to seven people who have a learning disability and/or autistic spectrum disorder. At the time of our inspection there were seven people who used the service.

A registered manager was in post 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.

Quality assurance systems were in place to help to ensure the service delivered was of a high quality, safe and continued to improve. We have made a recommendation about improving aspects of health and safety assessment and monitoring because we identified wardrobes were not secure and posed a potential risk of harm to people if they were pulled over.

People were protected from bullying, harassment and potential abuse. This was done consistently so that people were safe whether they were in the service itself or out in the community. Management and staff had a positive attitude towards managing risk and keeping people safe. Detailed management strategies provided guidance for staff on what actions to take to minimise the risk and provide appropriate and individualised support to people that enabled them to participate in activities of their choice and access the community safely.

The provider had a thorough recruitment and selection process in place to check that staff were suitable to work with people who used the service. People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff. Staffing levels were flexible and supported people to follow their interests and take part in social activities and, where appropriate, education.

Medication was stored safely and administered correctly. The provider had robust systems in place to ensure medication was managed safely and appropriately.

Staff had developed good relationships with people living at the service and respected their diverse needs. They were caring and respectful and had the required knowledge and skills they needed to meet people’s needs appropriately and safely. Staff knew each person’s individual care and support needs well. People’s privacy and dignity was respected and upheld and they were supported to express their views and choices by whatever means they were able to. Staff clearly understood each person’s way of communicating their needs and anxieties.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control over their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this.

People had a choice of balanced, healthy and nutritious meals and were able to eat their meal where they wanted. Nutritional assessments were in place which identified what food and drink people needed to keep them well and what they liked to eat.

People received personalised care specific to their individual needs; their independence was encouraged and their hobbies and leisure interests were supported. They received continuing specialist help with any medical condition and had prompt access to healthcare professionals when they became unwell. Each person had a health action plan which detailed how they were being supported to manage and maintain their health.

The provider had arrangements in place to routinely listen and learn from people’s experiences, concerns and complaints. There was a strong emphasis on promoting good practice in the service and there was a well-developed understanding of equality