The inspection took place on 14 and 15 May 2018 and was announced. Sherwood Court registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on 20 April 2017 and has not been previously inspected. There were 32 people who used the service at the time of inspection.

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.

People using the service lived in their own flat in a purpose built complex and had access to care and support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There was a communal dining area for people to use at lunchtime if they wished.

A registered manager was in post at the time of inspection. 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.

PRN, ‘when required’, protocols were not in place to guide staff as to when these medicines should be given. Systems and processes in place to manage medicines were not always safe or effective. We found a breach of Regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) 2014.

Risks associated with people's care were identified and managed. However, we found one instance where a risk assessment was not in place for a person with challenging behaviour.

People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff to meet their needs. Staff underwent appropriate checks prior to starting work. Staff received an induction, regular supervision and training.

The service followed the principles of the Mental Capacity Act. However, we made a recommendation to ensure the information regarding best interest meetings, capacity assessments and Lasting Power of Attorney documentation, to support relative’s involvement, were clearly recorded within people’s care records.

It was clear staff knew people well. People told us they felt involved with their care. We saw people had service user guides within their homes. We saw there was clear guidance in care plans around people’s communication needs. People’s privacy, dignity and independence was respected. We observed staff knocking on people’s doors and waiting to enter.

People’s care plans and daily notes were not always person centred and had a tendency to be task driven. We made a recommendation that the provider looked at ways to ensure people’s care plans were person centred and people’s wishes around their end of life care was recorded.

The provider had a complaints policy and procedure. People were aware of how to make a complaint. Any complaints and outcomes were recorded individually on a person’s contact journal. This made it difficult for the registered manager to maintain an overview of complaints.

Staff were happy working at Sherwood Court and felt listened to by the management team.

The registered manager and provider did not have sufficient quality assurance systems in place in order to have effective oversight of the service.

We found a breach of Regulation 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) 2014.

You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.