This inspection took place on 16 August 2016. The inspection was announced 48 hours before we visited to establish if people living at the service would be available to talk with us.

Northumberland Road is registered to provide accommodation and personal care to a maximum of four people. There were four people using the service at the time of our inspection. This included people with a learning disability and autism . Most people who lived at the home had lived there for a many years and told us that they were happy there.

Prior to January 2015, Northumberland Road was part of a ‘shared lives’ scheme. These are designed to support adults with a range of needs who are unable to live on their own. The scheme matches a person with care needs, with a carer who provides care and support to them and shares their family home and community life with the person. The provider had to change their registration because they wished to support four people. Once more than three people are supported in one location, the location operates as a care home. However, the provider’s ethos continued to be that they supported people as part of their family.

A requirement of the provider’s registration is that they have 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. The provider was also the registered manager.

The registered manager did not regularly employ additional staff to support people who lived at the home as the service was run as a family home. One member of agency staff was employed to support people if the registered manager was not available, for example due to illness.

People told us they felt safe at Northumberland Road. The registered manager understood how to protect people from abuse, and knew what procedures to follow to report any concerns. The registered manager had a good understanding of risks associated with people’s care needs and how to support them. People told us that they thought they were supported well and the registered manager was always available when they needed her.

Medicines were stored and administered safely, and people received their medicines as prescribed. Regular audits were carried out of medicines to ensure they were managed in line with good practice guidelines. People were supported to attend health care appointments when they needed to maintain their health and wellbeing.

The registered manager was kind and supportive to people’s needs and people’s privacy and dignity was respected. People were encouraged to be independent in assisting with tasks around the home and shopping.

The registered manager understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), and supported people in line with these principles. People were supported to make everyday decisions themselves, which helped them to maintain their independence. Where people were not able to make decisions, relatives and healthcare professionals were consulted for their advice and input.

People were supported to pursue their hobbies and interests both within and outside the home. Activities were arranged according to people’s individual preferences, needs and abilities. People were encouraged to maintain links with friends and family who visited them at the home.

People knew how to make a formal complaint and were able to discuss any concerns they had with the registered manager. At the time of our inspection no complaints had been received.

The registered manager carried out audits to check they had not made any mistakes in record keeping, and in checking that people were satisfied with the quality of care they received. They listened to, and acted on people’s ideas for impro

Four people were living at the home and were all in at the time of our unannounced visit. One person had been there a few weeks and had had been placed on an emergency basis. They were friendly and welcoming and at ease in their surroundings.

One person who had lived at the home for many years was pleased to see us and show us what things they had received at Christmas. Two other people were in their rooms but came down to meet us and watch TV in the lounge.

People were positive in their interactions with Mrs Walsh and with the comments they made to us. These included “It’s nice here”, “I go out when I want” and “I like it.”

The house was well-maintained, comfortable and ‘homely.’ People were able to spend time on their own or in company as they wished. People had their own activities and places to attend through the week and were supported according to their individual needs. Health needs were attended to and people were kept safe and supported by appropriate staff.

At the time of our visit there were three people living at the home. Two people had lived there for a number of years. One person was there on a temporary basis. We had met two of the people before at the home and they told us they continued to be happy there.

The third person had no speech but was able to make their needs known and indicated they were settled there.

After our visit we spoke with relatives of the two people who had lived at the home a number of years. They both told us they were very happy with the care and support there. “A different person since they’ve been there” and “We’re very happy with the care there” were typical of what they told us.

At the time of our visit, there were three people living at the home. We spoke with all three, and all indicated in discussion, and by their demeanour, that they were very happy with the service. One person was pleased to show us their room and their new television, another kept us up to date with what was happening in their day service and the clubs they attended, whilst the third person spoke of their interest in sports and their favourite television programme.

All were relaxed, comfortable and confident in their environment, and had a warm rapport with each other, and the carer.

After our visit, we contacted two relatives by phone, and they were full of praise for the service, and the care and support provided. One relative noted how much more confidence their relative had gained since moving to 31 Northumberland Road, noting “they are so much more out-going, confident and able to say more clearly what they want now.” They also added that “Mrs. Walsh is very good on health issues.”