We carried out an unannounced inspection of Purleigh Avenue on 20 September 2018. At our last inspection on 5 April 2017, the service was rated ‘Good’. However, we found the home was not always ‘Safe’ as there was a breach of Health and Social care regulations relating to the proper and safe management of medicines at the home and ensuring all risks to people were identified and assessed.

After the inspection, the registered provider wrote to us to say what actions they would be taking to meet legal requirements in relation to the breach. At this inspection, we found the actions had been completed and the home was now compliant with all regulations and remained ‘Good’.

Purleigh Avenue is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

It is a care home for up to six people with learning disabilities and mental health needs. The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism in the home can live as ordinary a life as any citizen. Six people were living in the home at the time of our inspection.

There were enough staff on duty to support people. Recruitment processes were safe, which ensured that staff were suitable to work with people who needed support. Systems were in place to ensure medicines were administered safely and when needed.

Equipment in the service was safe to use and there were procedures to control infections. They were maintained and serviced regularly. People lived in an environment that was clean, safe and suitable for their needs. Accidents and incidents in the home were recorded and analysed to ensure they were minimised in future.

Staff knew how to keep people safe. Risks to them were identified and there was guidance in place for staff to minimise these risks. People were supported by staff who had received training to ensure they had the skills to support them.

People’s nutritional needs were met. Staff worked with health and social care professionals, such as speech and language therapists and GPs, to ensure that people remained healthy and well.

People were supported to have choice and remain as independent as possible. The service was compliant with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. People and relatives were involved in decisions about their care. They were able to provide feedback and make suggestions about what they wanted from the home.

Staff were responsive to people’s needs. They were supported by staff who knew them well. The staff were caring and treated people with respect. People's privacy and dignity were maintained.

People and relatives were involved in the development and review of their care plans, which were personalised according to each person's needs.

Staff supported people patiently and were attentive to their needs. People were able to engage in activities and social events that they enjoyed. They were able to provide feedback about the home. Staff felt supported by the registered manager and told us the home was well-led. Quality assurance systems were in place. The registered manager ensured the service was monitored regularly.

This unannounced inspection took place on 5 April 2017.

Purleigh Avenue provide accommodation and support with personal care for up to six people with a learning disability. Five people were using the service when we visited.

There was a registered manager in post. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Although systems were in place to minimise risk and to ensure that people were supported as safely as possible, not all risks were comprehensively assessed. Although people were supported by staff to receive their medicines safely, the service did not have a robust medicines policy and procedure in place for staff to follow.

Staff were aware of their responsibilities to ensure people were safe and what to do if they had any concerns. They were confident that the registered manager would address any concerns.

People were protected by the provider’s recruitment process which ensured staff were suitable to work with people who need support.

People were supported and encouraged to make choices about all aspects of their care and support.

Staff were knowledgeable about people’s needs and how best to meet these. The training and support they received helped them to provide an effective and responsive service.

People received a person centred service. Their cultural and religious needs were respected and celebrated. People’s nutritional needs were met and they were encouraged to be as active as possible. There were enough staff to support them to do things that they liked and provide the care and support they needed.

People’s healthcare needs were identified and monitored. Action was taken to ensure they received the healthcare they needed, to enable them to remain as well as possible.

The quality of the service was monitored by the provider and the registered manager to ensure people received a quality service that met their needs and wishes.

Staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities. The registered manager and staff team were committed to continuous improvement of the service and to improving people’s quality of life. People and their relative’s views were sought and valued. Their feedback was used to inform developments in the service.

People were supported by kind and caring staff who treated them with respect. They were supported to do as much as possible for themselves and to gain new skills. Care records contained information about people’s needs, wishes, likes, dislikes and preferences.

People lived in an environment that was suitable for their needs. Specialised equipment was available and used for those who needed this.