We inspected the Recovery and Independence Team on 30 March 2017. We announced the inspection 48 hours before we visited to ensure that the registered manager was present on the day of the inspection. When we last inspected the service in July 2014 we found that the registered provider was meeting the legal requirements in the areas that we looked at and rated the service as good. At this inspection we found the service remained 'Good'.

The service had a registered manager in place. 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 Recovery and Independence Team provides a free and flexible service to people in their own homes for a period of up to six weeks (and beyond if necessary though not open ended). Staff provide support, rehabilitation and advice to people with the aim of them regaining their independence. The service is available to people aged 18 and above who live in the Redcar and Cleveland area and who have the potential to improve their independence. For example, someone who is to be discharged from hospital after a period of illness. The service supports people with meal preparation, attending to personal hygiene, administering medicines, mobilising, shopping, accessing community facilities and domestic support. This service is provided to people within 72 hours from referral.

There is also a rapid response element to this service for people who require urgent support to enable them stay at home and prevent admission to a care home or hospital. The only exclusion for the rapid response service is that if a person has overnight needs. This service is provided to people within two hours from referral. The service operates between 7am and 10pm and will be provided for a maximum of one week. If the person as the potential to improve their independence then staff will continue to work with them for up to six weeks.

Staff understood the procedure they needed to follow if they suspected abuse might be taking place. Risks to people and the home environment were identified and plans were put in place to help manage the risk and minimise them occurring. Medicines were managed safely with an effective system in place. Staff competencies, around administering medication, were regularly checked.

There were sufficient employed to meet the needs of people who used the service. We found that safe recruitment and selection procedures were in place and appropriate checks had been undertaken before staff began work.

People were supported by a regular team of staff who were knowledgeable about people’s likes, dislikes and preferences. A comprehensive training plan was in place and all staff had completed up to date training. 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. People were supported to prepare and choose meals of their choice.

People were supported to maintain good health and had access to healthcare professionals and services. People received the support they needed from recovery assistants, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Where needed, referrals were made to dietician or speech and language therapy.

People’s care plans described the care, support and rehabilitation they needed. Care plans detailed people’s needs and preferences and were person-centred. Meetings took place regularly to review people’s progress and new goals were set. People told us they were involved in all aspects of their care and rehabilitation.

The registered provider had a system in place for responding to people’s concerns and complaints. People were regularly asked f

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 process being introduced by CQC which looks at the overall quality of the service.

This was an announced inspection carried out on 16 July 2014.

The Recovery and Independence Team provides a free and flexible service to people in their own homes for a period of up to six weeks. Staff provide care, support, encouragement, rehabilitation and advice to people with the aim of them regaining their independence. The service is available to people aged 18 and above who live in the Redcar and Cleveland area and who have the potential to improve their independence. For example, someone who is to be discharged from hospital after a period of illness. The service supports people with meal preparation, attending to personal hygiene, administering medication, mobilising, shopping, accessing community facilities and domestic support.

The service has a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider.

The co-ordinator and staff that we spoke with had a good understanding of the principles and their responsibilities in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act (2005). People told us they felt safe. We saw there were systems and processes in place to protect people from the risk of harm.

We found people were encouraged and supported to take responsible risks. People were encouraged and enabled to take control of their lives.

People told us they were cared and supported to regain their independence by experienced and knowledgeable staff. People told us that staff were reliable. Robust recruitment and selection procedures were in place and appropriate checks had been undertaken before staff started work.

Staff who worked at the service were extremely knowledgeable about the care that people received. People told us that they received person centred care. People who used the service and relatives told us they were very happy with the care that they received.

People told us they were supported to prepare food and drinks of their choice. This helped to ensure that nutritional needs were met. People told us they were encouraged and supported to be independent with meal preparation.

People were supported to maintain good health and had access to healthcare professionals and services. Where needed people were seen or referrals were made to the district nursing service, occupational therapist, community physiotherapist and dietician.

People and relatives told us they were supported by caring and compassionate staff. People we spoke with said they were happy with the care and support provided and could make decisions about their own care and how they were looked after.

People told us staff respected their privacy and dignity. Staff were aware of the values of the service and knew how to respect people’s privacy and dignity.

People’s care and support needs had been assessed before the service began. Care records we looked at detailed people’s preferences, interests, likes and dislikes and these had been recorded in their care plan.

Appropriate systems were in place for the management of complaints. People and relatives told us the registered manager was approachable. People we spoke with did not raise any complaints or concerns about the service.

There were effective systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided. Staff told us that theservice had an open, inclusive and positive culture.