Shepherds Corner is a residential care home that provides accommodation and personal support for up to twelve people with learning disabilities, some of whom have additional mental health needs. The home is staffed by a team of care workers and has 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.

At the last inspection in February 2015, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

The service demonstrated they continued to meet the regulations and fundamental standards.

People using the service felt safe living at Shepherds Corner and spoke positively about the support provided to them. They said staff treated them with kindness and respect. People were supported to lead active lives and maintain relationships with those who matter to them. Relatives also spoke positively about the care and support provided both to people and to them.

People received care and support from a small group of staff who knew them well and understood their needs and preferences. Each person had an individualised support plan to make sure they received the support they required. Assessments completed by the service identified any risks to each person and helped to safely promote their independence.

People were supported to have their health needs met. We saw that people’s prescribed medicines were being stored securely and managed safely.

The staff attended training which gave them the knowledge and skills to support people effectively. People were supported to have 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 using the service felt able to speak to the registered manager or other staff to raise any issues or concerns.

An experienced registered manager was in post who knew the service and the people living there very well. There were systems in place to help ensure the safety and quality of the service provided.

Further information is in the detailed findings below

Shepherds Corner is a residential care home that provides accommodation and personal support for up to thirteen people with learning disabilities, some of whom have additional mental health needs. The home is staffed by a team of care workers and has 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.

This inspection of Shepherds Corner took place on 13 February and was unannounced. We last inspected the home in July 2013. At that inspection we found the service complied with all the regulations we assessed.

During this inspection we found that the service was well led and that staff were caring and understood the needs and preferences of the people who lived at Shepherds Corner.

Some people were able to tell us directly what their views were of the service, whilst others used other forms of communication such as sign language, gestures and other responses to questions. Everyone we spoke with told us or otherwise indicated that they felt safe using the service. Staff were trained in safeguarding adults and the service had policies and procedures in place to ensure that the service responded appropriately to allegations or suspicions of abuse. The service ensured that people’s human rights were respected and took action to assess and minimise risks to people. Staff had received training on behaviour that may challenge and the service consulted with other professionals about managing aspects of behaviour safely.

All of the people we spoke with either told us or indicated that they thought that staff were friendly and helpful. Throughout our inspection we observed that staff were caring and attentive to people. Staff approached people with dignity and respect and demonstrated a good understanding of people’s needs. Staff were quick to respond when people needed support.

The service was effective in supporting people to be as active in the community and in the home as they wished. Where people lacked capacity to make informed decisions there were good systems in place to ensure that staff worked within the procedures of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and to act in people’s best interests.

There were enough qualified and skilled staff at the service. Staffing numbers and shifts were managed to suit people's needs so that people received their care when they needed and wanted it. Staff had access to information, support and training that they needed to do their jobs well. The provider’s training programme was designed to meet the needs of people using the service so that staff had the knowledge they required to care for people effectively.

People told us they were happy with the way they lived at the home and with the amount of choice they had over their lives. People were provided with a range of activities in and outside the service which met their individual needs and interests.

Care plans contained information about the health and social care support people needed and records showed they were supported to access other professionals when required. People were involved in making decisions about their care. Where people's needs changed, the provider responded and reviewed the care provided.

People using the service and staff told us they found the manager to be approachable and accessible. We observed an open and inclusive atmosphere in the service.

Staff were happy working for the service and motivated to provide person centred care.

The provider had a number of audits and quality assurance programmes in place. These included action plans so the provider could monitor whether necessary changes were made and ensure high standards were being maintained.

The service had effective procedures for reporting and investigating incidents and accidents. There were systems to learn from incidents and adverse events and protect people from the risks of similar events happening again.

We used a number of different methods to help us understand the experiences of people who used the service, because not everyone could communicate with us verbally. During our inspection we used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI) and spoke with three people who used the service, the deputy manager, four support workers and a visiting arts and crafts facilitator. People we talked with told us they were happy living at Shepherds Corner and felt the staff that worked there were kind and supportive. One person told us “it’s alright here. I’m very happy” and another individual said “the staff are nice. I like my key-worker”. We also received positive comments from the visiting professional we met, such as “I have been coming here for many years and feel the home has improved a lot recently. I think the relatively new staff team and managers are doing a fantastic job”.

We saw that people who used the service were treated with respect by suitably trained and supported staff. We saw that staff provided person centred and safe care which met people’s needs and preferences. People were also involved in discussions about the care and support they received and could influence how their home was run.

We found the provider had appropriate arrangements in place to manage medicines and routinely assess and monitor the quality of the care and support people who lived at Shepherds Corner received.

Due to their needs, many people that we met during our visit were unable to share their views about the standards of care. People were supported in promoting their independence and community involvement. They were given opportunities to express their choices and to make decisions in their daily lives. We observed that staff were aware of people's preferences and routines so they could support people in their daily lives. All the people we met during our visit appeared to be happy and looked well cared for.

Comments from people using the service were generally positive, with indication that staff are kind and helpful in meeting their care needs. People were observed to be treated with respect by staff and to have their privacy and dignity respected.