The inspection took place on 31 July 2017 and was unannounced.

Mencap provide accommodation and personal care at 30 Manor Road for up to six people who have a learning disability. There were six people living at 30 Manor Road when we inspected.

At the last inspection in June 2015 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good. However, during the course of the inspection we identified some shortfalls in record keeping. The registered manager acknowledged the shortfalls and had already requested support from the provider to address these issues.

People felt safe living at 30 Manor Road. Staff understood how to keep people safe and risks to people's safety and well-being were identified and managed. The home was calm and people's needs were met in a timely manner by sufficient numbers of skilled and experienced staff. The provider operated robust recruitment processes which helped to ensure that staff employed to provide care and support for people were fit to do so. People's medicines were managed safely.

Staff received one to one supervision from a member of the management team which made them feel supported and valued. People received the support they needed to eat and drink sufficient quantities and their health needs were well catered for with appropriate referrals made to external health professionals as needed.

People’s relatives complimented the staff team for being kind and caring. Staff members were knowledgeable about individuals' support needs and preferences and people had been involved in the planning of their support where they were able. Visitors to the home were encouraged at any time of the day.

The provider had arrangements to receive feedback from people who used the service, their relatives, external stakeholders and staff members about the services provided. People were confident to raise anything that concerned them with staff or management and were satisfied that they would be listened to.

There was an open and respectful culture in the home and relatives and staff were comfortable to speak with the registered manager if they had a concern. The provider had arrangements to regularly monitor health and safety and the quality of the care and support provided for people who used the service.

The inspection took place on 02 June 2015 and was unannounced.

The Royal Mencap Society provides accommodation and personal care at 30 Manor Road for up to six people who have a learning disability. The service does not provide nursing care. There were five people living at the home when we inspected.

We last inspected the service on 18 September 2013 and found the service was not in breach of any of the regulations that we assessed at that time.

The home had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.

CQC is required to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. DoLS are in place to protect people where they do not have capacity to make decisions and where it is considered necessary to restrict their freedom in some way, usually to protect themselves or others. The manager reported that applications had been submitted to the local authority in relation to people who lived at 30 Manor Road.

People were assisted by staff in a way that supported their safety and they were treated respectfully. People had health care and support plans in place to ensure staff knew how people liked their needs to be met. Risks to people’s safety and welfare had been identified and care had been planned to enable people to live as safely and independently as possible. There were sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people’s care and support needs. People’s medicines were managed safely.

Members of staff were trained to provide effective and safe care which met people’s individual needs and wishes. Staff members understood their roles and responsibilities and were supported by the manager to maintain and develop their skills and knowledge through on-going support and regular training.

There was a good rapport between the staff and people who used the service. Staff interacted and cared for people in a warm and sensitive way, they took time to listen and to respond in a way that the person they engaged with understood.

There was an open culture in the home and relatives and staff were comfortable to speak with the manager if they had a concern. The provider had arrangements in place to regularly monitor health and safety and the quality of the care and support provided for people who used the service.

When we returned to Manor Road to follow up on the concerns we identified at our last inspection we found that steps have been taken to improve the environment and to make it safe for those people who are living there.

During this inspection we didn’t speak to people who use the service as this was a follow up inspection specifically to look at health and safety issues regarding the building and in particular the management of chemicals.

During our visit to the service, on 3 July 2013, we spoke to one of the five people living at the service. Four of the people living at the service were at a local day centre. The person we spoke to stated that they were happy to live at the service and that the staff cared well for their needs. We also spoke to three members of staff who said that they helped people to live independently which was something that they proactively promoted, but they were there to help if the need arose. We observed the moving of one person’s belongings to a larger bedroom as they wished to have more space. We were informed by a staff member that the person would be helped to sort their belongings into the new room when they returned from the day centre.

We observed that there was a calm and happy environment where staff knew people well and cared for them. We observed a staff member aiding a person with their lunch and then asking the person what they wanted to do next and then helping them with their choice. The person remained in control and was not rushed by the member of staff.

People had been provided with a fresh clean home to live in with personal possessions and pictures around them that promoted their sense of ownership and belonging.

During our visit to the service, on 05 October 2012, we were able to meet three out of the five people currently living at 30 Manor Road. We were also able to gain the views of a relative and two community health and social care professionals who visited the service. They said that Manor Road was a friendly place and people were always made to feel welcome. We were told that the standard of care was very good and the staff supported people in an individual way, which promoted people's dignity. A health professional told us it was a 'very caring home' and staff were good at monitoring people's health. We identified that people's health needs were being met and they had good access to health services.

We observed that there was a calm atmosphere and people interacted positively with the staff. Staff included people in conversations and the daily activities associated with running a house. People were encouraged to join in and help make drinks and prepare their lunch. We saw evidence that people were supported to take part in a wide range of activities and social events at home and in the community, that reflected their personal interests.

People had been provided with a fresh clean home to live in with personal possessions and pictures around them that promoted their sense of ownership and belonging.

The people who live at Manor Road are not all able to verbally express their views and we were dependent on interpreting how people interacted with each other, the staff who support them and their home.

There was an inclusive atmosphere as everyone was included in discussions about what they had been doing, events and planned activities. One person smiled as they were reminded they were going to choose a new outfit for a special occasion. Another person told us about a recent trip they had enjoyed. We observed that the people who live at Manor Road interacted positively with staff and looked to them for support and comfort if they did not know what to do or needed reassurance. People said that they liked the staff.

We observed that people were comfortable and relaxed as they moved confidently between their own rooms, the lounge and the garden. People acknowledged that they liked their bedrooms. The large kitchen dining room provided a focus for our visit as people arrived home and had drinks and snacks after being out all day. Space was given to people who preferred to sit quietly for a while in the lounge or garden.

The people who live at Manor Road and staff have meals together around a large dining table which adds to the warm family atmosphere people experience. People were able to help themselves to drinks and snacks and pictorial signs on cupboard doors help people to find what they are looking for.