The inspection took place on 6 and 7 March 2018 and was unannounced. The service was registered on 24 March 2017 and had not been inspected before.

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 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.

People were provided with flexible care and support on-site to enable them to live as independently as possible. Support included personal care and support with medicines, meal preparation, shopping and cleaning. There were 36 flats which included two ‘shared ownership’ flats. At the time of our inspection there were 27 people using the service.

There was no registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. A manager was employed by the provider to oversee the service and another similar service nearby and had applied to be registered. 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 manager was only briefly available and we were assisted by the service manager and other members of the senior team throughout our visit.

There were systems and processes in place to protect people from the risk of harm. There were enough staff on duty to meet people's needs and there were contingency plans in the event of staff absence. Employment checks were in place to obtain information about new staff before they were allowed to support people.

Care plans and risk assessments were reviewed and updated whenever people's needs changed. People and relatives told us they were involved in the planning and reviewing of their care and support and felt valued.

The risks to people's safety and wellbeing were assessed and regularly reviewed. People were supported to manage their own safety and remain as independent as they could be. The provider had processes in place for the recording and investigation of incidents and accidents.

People were given the support they needed with medicines and there were regular audits by staff and the management team.

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.

Staff had undertaken training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and were aware of their responsibilities in relation to this. They ensured people were given choices and the opportunity to make decisions.

People were protected by the provider’s arrangements in relation to the prevention and control of infection. People told us that staff adopted high standards of cleanliness and hygiene and always put on fresh gloves and aprons during personal care. The provider had a procedure regarding infection control and the staff had specific training in this area.

The provider ensured people's nutritional needs were met. People were able to dine downstairs in the communal dining room if they wished. Some of the people using the service shopped for ingredients and cooked their own food in their flats.

People were supported by staff who were sufficiently trained and supervised. The service liaised with other services to share ideas and good practice.

People’s healthcare needs were met and staff supported them to attend medical appointments if support was required.

People's care plans were comprehensive and detailed people’s identified individual needs. They were personalised to reflect people’s wishes a