The inspection took place on 3 May 2017 and was unannounced. There were four people living at the home at the time of the inspection. Three people were present during the inspection, although only two people chose to speak with us. The home was previously inspected in 2016 and there was one breach of the regulations, in relation to safe care and treatment. We found at this inspection, the provider had taken action to address the breach and there were no further breaches.

Grandsmere Place provides accommodation and support to people who have a learning disability. It is part of the Bridgewood Trust organisation; a voluntary organisation providing a range of services for people with learning disabilities in the Kirklees and Calderdale area of West Yorkshire.

The service had a registered manager, although they were on leave at the time of the 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.’

Staff knew how to support people to stay safe and there was encouragement for people to manage their own risks safely. Staff had a confident knowledge of safeguarding and how to ensure people were protected from abuse.

There was appropriate support for staff and they reported feeling supported by the registered manager.

People received their medicines when they needed them and systems for managing medicines were well organised.

Staff were caring and dedicated to their work, with a good knowledge of people’s individual needs. People were involved and included in all aspects of their care and support. Staff were respectful and there was evidence of good relationships with people.

Care was person centred with people’s needs and preferences central to the running of the home. Staff were mindful this was people’s home and showed respect for their privacy.

Staff clearly knew each person well and their unique preferences, with many opportunities for people to pursue their hobbies and interests.

People knew how to complain and there was access to independent advocacy if required. No complaints had been received, only compliments about the service.

Care and support plans showed evidence of regular reviews and people knew these were available for them to look at when they wished to.

Documentation to illustrate the practice in the home was up to date, well organised and filed securely.

The home was well run and people who lived there were supported to lead independent lives.

On the 28 April & 11 May 2016 we inspected Grandsmere Place. At the time of our inspection, there were four people living there. This was an unannounced inspection.

The service was last inspected in November 2013 and was fully compliant with the outcome areas that were inspected against.

Grandsmere Place provides accommodation and support to people who have a learning disability. It is part of the Bridgewood Trust organisation; a voluntary organisation providing a range of services for people with learning disabilities in the Kirklees and Calderdale area of West Yorkshire.

The service had a registered manager in place 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People were encouraged to make independent decisions. However the service did not always work in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. We recommend the provider consults relevant guidance on the Mental Capacity Act to ensure it acts within the legal framework and principles of the Act.

We had concerns around the management of people’s epilepsy. We found people did not always have related risk assessments and staff had not always been trained in how to support people in case of a seizure.

Other risks had been fully assessed and documented which meant staff were directed how to support people and minimise risk where possible.

Staff had completed all their mandatory training and were observed to check their level of competency. Staff demonstrated their skills acquired on training courses.

Staffing was maintained at appropriate levels to provide people with effective support. Staff received professional development through supervision and spot checks to maintain their competency.

People were protected from the risk of abuse as staff had a received training in safeguarding people and had good understanding of their roles and responsibilities if they suspected abuse was happening. The registered manager also shared information with the local authority when appropriate.

People received their medicines as prescribed and the management of medicines promoted people’s safety.

People were protected from the risks of inadequate nutrition. Specialist diets were provided and followed when needed. Referrals were made to health care professionals when needed.

People’s care records were holistic and person-centred to ensure people received support in a planned and responsive way. People who used the service or their relative were encouraged to contribute to the planning of care packages.

People had regular and unrestricted access to their family and their friends. They also had opportunities to participate in a variety of social and leisure activities to help them lead a fulfilling life.

People benefited from a service which was well led and systems were in place to monitor the quality of service provision.

People living at the service felt they could report any concerns to the management team and would be taken seriously.

We found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act (2008) Regulated Activities Regulations 2014. You can see what action we asked the provider to take at the back of this report.

The people who used the service were being supported and enabled to make informed choices about their care and treatment.

People said staff supported their independence and encouraged them to take responsibility for their own daily living.

People who used the service told us they had given consent to their care and treatment.

We saw that staff responded appropriately to people when they needed support. This meant staff were respectful towards people who used the service. One staff member who although not permanently based at Grandsmere told us that it always felt like a family home and we were given that impression during our inspection.

We saw that policies and procedures were in place in relation to service user participation and safeguarding.

We saw evidence that showed staff were provided with regular formal supervision and appraisal. Staff told us they were supported by management who enabled and encouraged them to access appropriate training for their respective roles.

The provider showed effective processes to monitor and assess the quality of service on a regular basis. The quality of service was assessed by means of monthly internal audits and a service user feedback questionnaire in conjunction with regular residents meetings.

We spoke with two people who use the service about the care and support they received. They told us they were involved in planning the support they required and were able to talk to us about the content of their support plan.

We observed support staff were friendly towards people and enabled them to be as independent as possible, i.e. making their own drinks and using the telephone. One support worker told us that working at Grandsmere place was like a family home and we were given that impression during our inspection.

We observed people had access to nutritious food and were involved in planning what to eat. One person told us there was always a choice and they were given the types of food they enjoyed.

We saw from the care records we looked at that care was delivered as written in the care plans and they were up to date. This was also confirmed by the people we spoke with.

People living at the home are involved in planning for their own care and support, they feel they are listened to and their views are taken on board.

They confirmed that their relatives are also involved in their care plans and they attend review meetings.

They told us they attend house meetings where they are asked for their views about how the home is run. They feel comfortable about expressing their opinions and staff listen to what they have to say. The meetings are minuted and they get feedback on areas they have asked staff to act on. They told us they are consulted whenever the shared areas of the home are refurbished and they say how they want their own rooms to be decorated. They said they like the accommodation and felt it was well looked after.

People told us they got on very well with the staff, they said most of them have worked there for some time, they like them and they know them well. They told us they liked that, it made them feel they could talk to them about any concerns and it made them feel “easy” and “comfortable”.

People we talked to said they went out most days to take part in activities of their own choice. They said if they didn’t like what they were doing they would say so. In the evenings most people are out doing things of their own choice, visiting their relatives, going to the sports centre or social clubs.

Everyone we talked to said there were always enough staff available to support them and they were happy and felt safe living at Grandsmere Place.