Wellington Road is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. 10 people with a learning disability were receiving care at Wellington Road. They were between the ages of 30 and 56. Wellington Road is a large terraced house over three floors in the centre of Taunton.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated Good

People were safe at the service because recruitment, staffing, medicine management, infection control and upkeep of the premises protected people from unsafe situations and harm. Individual risks to people were assessed and managed with as little restriction to the person as possible.

Staff understood their responsibilities to protect people from abuse and discrimination. They knew to report any concerns and ensure action was taken. The registered manager worked with the local authority safeguarding adults team to protect people.

Staff received training and were supported to be skilled and efficient in the roles. Arrangements for staff supervision had been reviewed and improvements made, such as a designated hour for the one to one meetings.

People’s legal rights were understood and upheld. People’s health care needs were met. A health care professional said they were “Really impressed with the medical care provided”.

The premises provided people with a variety of spaces for their use with relevant adaptation to meet their needs where possible. Bedrooms were very individual and age and gender appropriate. Major upgrading to the premises was about to commence to improve people’s comfort.

People received a home cooked and varied diet. Some also enjoyed buying ‘treats’ and eating out on a regular basis.

Staff promoted people’s dignity and privacy. Through understanding people’s non verbal communication the service was centred on each person as an individual. Staff were kind and caring and people using the service were happy to return to Wellington Road following a period away.

Support plans were detailed and reviewed with the person when possible, staff who supported the person, external professionals (as necessary) and family members. Staff looked to identify best practise and use this to people’s benefit. Staff worked with and took advice from health care professionals.

People had a variety of internal activities (such as arts and crafts) and external activities (such as disco, bowling and swimming) which they enjoyed on a regular basis. Staff said activities for people were “Well thought out”.

The registered manager ran a well organised service. People’s views were sought and opportunities taken to improve the service. Staff were supervised, supported and were clear what was expected of them. Audits and checks were carried out in-house and through the provider so any problem could be identified and rectified.

The registered manager understood and met their legal responsibilities.

This inspection took place on 1 October 2015 and was an unannounced inspection.

This was the first inspection of the service since the provider changed their legal entity from Voyage 3 Limited to Voyage 1Limited in June 2014. Voyage 1 limited is the provider of a number of services throughout the country.

The home is situated within walking distance of Taunton town centre. Wellington Road is registered to accommodate up to 12 people and it specialises in providing care and support to adults who have a learning disability. All bedrooms are for single occupancy and the home is staffed 24 hours a day.

When we visited there were 10 people living at the home all of whom had lived there for many years. People had very complex needs and communication difficulties associated with their learning disability. Because of this we were only able to have very limited conversations with two people about their experiences. We therefore used our observations of care and our discussions with staff to help form our judgements.

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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The registered manager had a clear vision for the home and the people who lived there. They told us they were committed to ensuring people received the best possible care and enjoyed a happy life.

People were relaxed and happy with the staff who supported them and it was evident that staff knew people well. Staff understood people’s needs and preferences and engaged with each person in a way that was most appropriate to them. One person was able to tell us they felt “Happy” and “Safe” at the home.

Each person had a care and support plan which reflected their needs, risks and preferences. These were understood and followed by staff. Staff monitored people’s health and well-being to ensure they maintained good health and identified any problems. People received good support from health and social care professionals.

People were protected from the risk of abuse through a range of policies, procedures and staff training. These included robust staff recruitment procedures and staff understanding about how to recognise and report any signs of abuse.

People were unable to look after their own medicines. Staff made sure medicines were stored securely and that there were sufficient supplies of medicines. People received their medicines when they needed them from staff who trained and competent to carry out the task.

There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. Routines in the home were flexible and were based around the needs and preferences of the people who lived there. People were able to plan their day with staff and they were supported to access a range of social and leisure activities in the home and local community.

People were supported to eat well in accordance with their preferences and needs. There was a varied menu which had been developed with the people who lived at the home.

The service made sure staff completed the training they needed to meet the needs of the people they supported. The knowledge, skills and competency of staff were regularly monitored through supervisions and observation of their practice. Staff told us they felt well supported and received the training they needed.

There were systems in place to monitor health and safety and the quality of the service provided to people.