About the service: Norwich Supported Living provides care and support to people with learning disabilities. At the time of the inspection it was providing support to 15 people who used the regulated service. This service provides care and support to people living in “supported living” settings so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible.

People’s experience of using this service:

• The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

• People were protected from abuse, neglect and discrimination. Staff ensured people’s safety and acted when necessary to prevent any harm

• Individual risks to people were assessed and managed to keep people safe.

• Medicines systems were organised and people were receiving their medicines when they should.

• The service was very person centred and assessed people’s needs and individual preferences.

• Staff told us that the training they attended was good and gave them the skills and knowledge they needed to support people.

• Health care professionals such as district nurses, the GP, and dietician had been involved in people’s care.

• 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.

• People were supported to express their views and staff were knowledgeable about people’s preferred communication methods.

• People were supported to pursue their own hobbies and interests.

• People were supported at the end of their life

• The service was well led and managed.

• People and staff were very positive about the management of the service and particularly about recent changes.

• The views of people and staff were actively sought by managers to develop and improve the service for the future.

• The service had links with the local community to enhance the lives of people using the service.

Rating at last inspection: At the last inspection the service was rated good. (4 July 2016)

Why we inspected: This was a scheduled, planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Norwich Supported Living is a registered community based adult social care service providing personal care to people living in three supported living premises. The service offers 24-hour support and care to people who have a learning disability. There were 15 people who were receiving personal care from the service when we visited.

The inspection took place on 16 June 2016 and we gave the provider 48-hours’ notice before we visited. This was the first inspection since the service was registered on 1 November 2013. There was a registered manager in post. 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.

People were safe as staff were knowledgeable about reporting any suspicions or incidents of harm. There were a sufficient number of staff employed and recruitment procedures ensured that only suitable staff were employed. Risk assessments were in place and actions were taken to reduce these risks. Arrangements were in place to ensure that people were supported and protected with the safe management of their medicines.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and report on what we find. Staff we met received training and were able to demonstrate a good understanding of MCA. This meant that any decisions made on people's behalf by staff would be in their best interest and as least restrictive as possible.

Staff were supported and trained to do their job. People were supported to access a range of health care professionals and they were provided with opportunities to increase their levels of independence. Health risk assessments were in place to ensure that people were supported to maintain their health. The team managers and support staff were in contact with a range of health care professionals to ensure that people’s care and support was well coordinated.

People had adequate amounts of food and drink to meet their individual likes and nutritional and hydration needs.

People’s privacy and dignity were respected and their care and support was provided in a kind, caring and a patient way.

People’s hobbies and interests had been identified and they were supported to take part in a range of activities that were meaningful to them.

A complaints procedure was in place and complaints had been responded to, to the satisfaction of the complainant. People could raise concerns with the staff at any time.

The provider had quality assurance processes and procedures in place to improve, where needed, the quality and safety of people’s support and care. People and their relatives were able to make suggestions in relation to the support and care provided and staff acted on what they were told. There were strong links with the external community. A staff training and development programme was in place and procedures were in place to review the standard of staff members’ work performance.