About the service:

• Precious Homes Ltd is a supported living scheme providing personal care support for up to 20 people with learning disabilities and complex needs.

• The scheme comprises studio flats in a large detached house with additional communal living areas, and is in Wembley.

• The scheme covered a range of areas including prompting with medicines, personal care, weekly shopping, housework and laundry.

People’s experience of using this service:

• People received personalised care and support specific to their needs and preferences. The scheme was responsive to people's individual needs and delivered care that supported people's choices, and thus enabling them to achieve their potential and meet their goals. We saw examples where the scheme had transformed people’s lives through evidence based person centred approaches.

• People felt safe in the care they received from care workers. There were safeguarding systems and processes to support care workers to understand their role and responsibilities to protect people from avoidable harm. Risk assessments were comprehensive and up to date, with detailed guidance for care workers on how to reduce identified risks.

• People’s needs were assessed, and care delivered in line with standards and guidance. Care workers were trained and skilled so that they could support people in line with the required standards. They had also received training to ensure their knowledge and practice reflected the requirements set out in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). They supported people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced diet. They supported people to live healthier lives and to access healthcare services and support.

• People's diversity and human rights were highlighted in their care plans. Referrals included a section relating to people's diverse needs such as their religion, culture and ethnicity. People were treated with dignity and respect. They were supported to maintain their independence.

• The scheme was well-led. Throughout this inspection, we observed practices and behaviours that were consistent with the values of person centred approaches. The registered manager and staff were clear about their roles. They understood quality performance, risks and regulatory requirements. There was range of quality assurance systems and processes in place to drive improvement. Areas of improvement were identified and we saw examples of lessons learned to prevent reoccurrences.

Rating at last inspection:

At our last inspection, the service was rated ‘Good’. Our last report was published on 21 June 2016.

Why we inspected:

• This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. The service remains Good.

Follow up:

• Going forward we will continue to monitor this service and plan to inspect in line with our inspection schedule for those services rated Good.

The inspection took place on 27 April 2016 and was announced. Precious Homes Wembley is a supported living service providing personal care support for up to nine people with learning disabilities and complex needs. The service comprises nine studio flats in a large detached house with additional communal living areas, and is located in Wembley.

There was a registered manager working at the service. 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 that they felt safe within the service. They were positive about the way staff treated them. Each person we spoke with told us their care workers were kind and compassionate. We observed how staff talked and interacted with people and saw that people were at the centre of the service and were treated with respect.

People and where necessary those who mattered to them were involved in care planning. This assisted staff in identifying needs, and how people preferred to be supported. We saw that staff provided personalised care and support.

Staff had a good understanding of how to protect people from the risk of harm. They had been trained and had access to guidance and information to support them with the process. Risks to people’s health and safety had been assessed and the service had care plans and risk assessments in place to ensure people were cared for safely.

People were supported to eat and drink. Staff supported people to attend healthcare appointments and liaised with their GP and other healthcare professionals as required to meet those needs.

Medicines were administered safely and on time. Staff had completed training in medicines administration.

There were systems to monitor important aspects of the service. This ensured the services continued to receive internal and external audits, which were used to monitor quality and to make improvements.