The inspection of this service took place on 19 and 29 December 2017 and was announced.

This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought or rented, and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.

There were 26 individual flats within the building. There was an office base and staff provided people with a range of services including, personal care, medicines management and cleaning services. At the time of the inspection 14 people were receiving care and support from the provider.

The service had a registered manager in place. 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.

People told us they felt safe when staff were in their homes and the staff called at the expected times which helped to make them feel safer. Staff we spoke with told us they were aware of the potential types of abuse people were at risk of and the action to take to report and protect people from the risk of further abuse.

Effective recruitment prevented the service from employing unsuitable staff. Staffing levels were determined based upon assessments of need and flexible support was available if these needs changed. There were sufficient staff to meet people's care needs.

Staff were able to provide safe support because risks were assessed and plans were in place to reduce and manage risks where possible. Assessments were reviewed and care plans amended as people's needs changed.

People had discussed their concerns about continuity of staff and the registered manager had taken steps to improve on this. Where people needed help with their medicines care staff recorded when these were needed and administered. Staff had been trained and told us they were supported to keep their skills and knowledge updated. The registered manager regularly reviewed staff practice and sourced additional training to meet people’s needs. Effective recruitment prevented the service from employing unsuitable staff.

People are supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice. The registered manager and staff were working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).

People who used the service and family members were complimentary about the standard of care they received from the service. Activities were available for people who used the service based on their likes and interests and to help meet their social needs. Staff treated people with dignity and respect.

The registered provider had an effective complaints procedure in place, and people who used the service and family members were aware of how to make a complaint. People were involved and consulted in the running of the service and felt their views and ideas were listened to and acted upon. Systems and processes were regularly audited and outcomes were acted upon to continually improve the service provided.