About the service: The service is a supported living service. The service provided personal care to people living in their own flats at an extra care housing complex. There are 53 flats within the scheme (one and two bedroomed). At the time of the inspection there were 32 people who used the service.

People’s experience of using this service: People told us they felt safe and were happy with the care and service received. People received their care from a small consistent staff team who they could build trusting relationships with.

There were enough staff employed and on duty at any one time to meet the needs of people. The provider had an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place and carried out relevant checks when they employed staff. Staff were suitably trained and received regular supervisions and appraisals.

Accidents and incidents were recorded and analysed, and risk assessments were in place. The registered manager understood their responsibilities about safeguarding. Arrangements were in place for the safe administration of medicines.

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. However, the record keeping for this needed improvement as there were no mental capacity assessments or recordings of best interest decisions. We pointed this out to the registered manager who told us they would take immediate action to address this.

People were supported by staff who had the skills and experience to help them to maintain and develop their independence. Staff treated people as individuals and respected their privacy and lifestyle choices.

The provider had a complaints procedure in place and people were aware of how to make a complaint.

An effective quality assurance process was in place. People and staff were regularly consulted about the quality of the service.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection: Good (Last report published 14 September 2016).

Why we inspected: We inspected the service as part of our inspection schedule for ‘Good’ rated services.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.

This inspection took place on 17 August 2016 and was announced. We gave the registered provider 24 hours’ notice as it was an extra care service and we wanted to make sure the people would be in. This is the first time the service has been inspected since it was registered on 23 September 2014.

Springtide Cove is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own flats at an extra care housing complex. There are 53 flats within the scheme and at the time of the inspection there were 27 people in receipt of a care service.

The service had a registered manager. 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.

Medicines were managed effectively with people receiving their medicines appropriately. Staff administering medicines were trained and competent to do so. All records were complete and up to date with regular medicine audits being carried out.

Staff understood the principles of safeguarding people and were confident in their roles. Safeguarding concerns identified were alerted to local authorities. They were also investigated and actioned with outcomes communicated to those involved.

People had risk assessments in place and associated care plans were clearly linked and updated in line with risk assessment reviews. People's care plans were detailed, personalised, up to date and reflected their needs. Staff used them as a guide to deliver support to people

Staff were recruited in a safe and consistent manner with all necessary checks carried out. Staffing requirements were assessed in line with people’s needs. From staffing rotas we saw staffing levels were consistent and staffing cover was provided by existing staff.

Staff had up to date training and competency assessments were carried out in relation to specific areas, including the management of medicines. Regular direct observations were carried out in between supervision sessions. Staff received annual appraisals.

People were supported to meet their nutritional needs, including where people had special dietary needs.

People were supported to access services from a range of health care professionals when required. These included GPs, district nurses, occupational therapists and chiropodists.

People told us they were confident they could raise concerns but had never had any reasons to complain about the service.

Staff told us they felt supported in their roles by the registered manager. They told us the registered manager and care team leader operated an open door policy and were approachable. Staff also told us they attended regular meetings with managers to discuss the service, company and people.

A range of regular audits was carried out that related to the service the scheme provided, as well as the premises and environment.

The service received a number of compliments and thank you cards from people who received care and their relatives about the support and professionalism of staff.