Quiet Waters is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care under a contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided and both were looked at during this inspection. Quiet Waters accommodates up to five people who may have a learning disability, in one adapted building. At the time of our inspection, five people were using the service.

This inspection took place on 5 April 2018. The inspection was unannounced, this meant the staff and provider did not know we would be visiting. At the last inspection on 14 March 2016, the service was rated ‘Good’. At this inspection, we found that the service remained good .

A registered manager was 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

'The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.' Registering the Right Support CQC policy.

The service was Safe. The service had appropriate systems in place to keep people safe and staff followed these guidelines when they supported people. There were a sufficient numbers of care staff available to meet people’s care needs and people received their medication as prescribed and on time. The provider had a robust recruitment process in place to protect people from the risk of avoidable harm. They had been recruited safely with the skills and knowledge to provide care and support to people.

The service was Effective. Staff received regular supervision and had been trained to meet people’s needs. Arrangements were made for people to see a GP and other healthcare professionals when they needed to do so. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. Policies and systems in the service supported this practice. A wide range of activities was provided, which included involvement and use of local and wider community based activities.

The service was Caring. People were cared for and supported by staff that understood their needs and knew them well. Staff treated people with dignity and respect and were sensitive to their needs regarding equality, diversity and their human rights. The care and support people received was individualised.

The service was Responsive. People’s health and emotional needs were assessed, monitored and met in order for them to live well. The service worked closely with relevant health care professionals and people received the support they needed to have a healthy diet that met their individual needs.

The service was Well-Led. There were systems in place to drive improvement and audits were carried out on a regular basis, which looked at the quality of the service people received. The registered manager had a clear oversight of the service.

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and to pilot a new inspection process being introduced by CQC which looks at the overall quality of the service.

The service met all of the regulations we inspected against at our last inspection on 13 June 2014.

This inspection took place on the 14 March 2016 and was unannounced.

Quiet Waters is a small care provider providing intensive support for up to six people who have a learning disability. At the time of our inspection there were three people using the service.

There is a Registered Manager at this location. 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.

Staff were appropriately trained and skilled and provided care in a safe environment. They all received a thorough induction and fully understood their roles and responsibilities, as well as the values and philosophy of the service. Staff had completed extensive training to help them to provide care to people who use the service was safe and effective to meet their needs.

People had their needs and requests responded to promptly. People told us that there was enough staff to meet people’s care needs.

Medication was managed safely. Staff members clear and understood their responsibilities. The Registered Manager conducted regular audits and improvements were carried out when these had been identified. The quality was monitored and assessed consistently.

People were regularly asked by staff if they were happy and how they wanted to be supported. Staff members understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and were able to describe their responsibilities to seek the consent of the people they supported. When people were thought to lack mental capacity the provider had taken the appropriate action to make sure their care did not restrict their movement and rights under the MCA. Decisions about the care people received were made by the people who had the legal right to do so.

People lived in an environment that met their needs and they were provided with the food they enjoyed. Premises were properly maintained with a clean, bright and inviting environment. All living areas were clean and well looked after.

We saw that people had developed caring relationships with the staff that supported them. Relatives told us that there was a positive atmosphere in the provider and people were encouraged to take part in tasks around the provider if they wanted. We found that people’s independence was promoted.

People told us that complaints or comments about the service were sorted out quickly without the need to resort to the formal complaints process. Relatives told us that any issues were dealt with to their satisfaction. The provider encourages people to whistle blow and make complaints by displaying “see something, say something” posters around the provider. In the last twelve months the provider had not received any complaints about the service.

The provider encouraged feedback from people, visitors and families, which they used to make improvements to the service. The Registered Manager involved staff to make improvements, and we found that the service continued to develop by involving staff and continuously assessing the quality of care.