We conducted an announced inspection at Whitegates on 16 January 2019. Whitegates provides accommodation and support, without nursing, to a maximum of 18 people with a learning disability and/or autism. On the day of our inspection nine people were using the service. 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 using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

The service did not have a registered manager in place at the time of our inspection. There was an acting manager in place who had applied to become the new registered manager. 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 our last inspection on 25 November 2015 we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

People were supported by staff who planned to reduce the risks people could face whilst encouraging their enjoyment and independence. Staff knew how to respond when people were at risk of any harm to ensure their safety.

People received their care and support when this was needed because there were enough staff on duty to provide this. People were supported to take their medicines at the time they needed these, although some improvements were needed to the records that were used for this. People were being protected from infection because safe practices were being followed.

People were supported to have the control they were able to of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and staff practices in the service supported this practice.

People were supported to have a healthy and nutritious diet. Staff understood people’s healthcare needs and provided support to people in maintaining people’s health.

People were cared for and supported by staff who respected them and maintained their privacy and dignity. People were involved in planning their own care as much as possible.

People’s physical and social needs were recognised and support plans were prepared and followed in order to meet these. People who used the service or others acting on their behalf were able to raise any complaints or concerns.

People used a service that was responsive to their needs and views. Recent changes in management had been carefully planned to ensure the stability of the service people received. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and make improvements when needed.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

We carried out this unannounced inspection on 25 November 2015.Whitegates is run and managed by Autism East Midlands. The service provides care and support for up to 18 people with autism. On the day of our inspection 16 people were using the service. The service is provided across two sites. The larger site can accommodate 12 people and the smaller site can accommodate 5 people with a self-contained flat attached to the house accommodating one person.

The service had a registered manager in place at the time of our inspection. 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.

People who used the service were protected from the risk of abuse and staff had a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities if they suspected abuse was happening. The registered manager shared information with the local authority when needed. Action was taken following any incidents to try and reduce the risks of incidents happening again. People received their medicines as prescribed and the management of medicines was safe.

Staffing levels were sufficient to support people’s needs and people received care and support when required. Staff who were provided with the knowledge and skills to care for people effectively and felt supported by the management team

People were encouraged to make independent decisions and staff were aware of legislation to protect people who lacked capacity when decisions were made in their best interests. Staff were aware of the principles within the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and had not deprived people of their liberty without applying for the required authorisation.

People were protected from the risks of inadequate nutrition. Specialist diets were provided if needed. Referrals were made to health care professionals when needed. People who used the service, or their representatives, were encouraged to contribute to the planning of their care.

People were treated in a caring and respectful manner and staff delivered support in a relaxed and considerate manner. Positive caring relationships had developed between staff and the people who lived at the home and number of different communication techniques were used to assist people to make their needs known. People who used the service, or their representatives, were encouraged to be involved in decisions and systems were in place to monitor the quality of service provision. People also felt they could report any concerns to the management team and felt they would be taken seriously.

Prior to our inspection we reviewed all the information we had received from the provider. As part of our inspection we spoke with two people who used the service. We also spoke with the cook, two support workers and the registered manager.

We used observation to help us understand the experiences of people who used the

service as some of the people had communication needs which meant they were not able to tell us their views. We spoke with two relatives about the service and we observed the support given by staff to people who used the service. We looked at records and carried out a tour of Whitegates. We did not visit Park Place during our inspection as the staff and people who used the service were not at the premises.

We found people gave consent to their care and their support was delivered in line with their individual plan.

Food was provided which met people’s needs and supported their health. One person who used the service was asked what they thought about the food that was provided for them. They told us, "I like the food, it’s good.”

We found that there were sufficient skilled and experienced staff to support people who used the service and staff were caring and responsive to people’s needs.

During our visit we spoke with three care staff and the registered manager of the service. We spoke directly with two people who used the service. It was not possible to speak directly with other people who used the service due to them having particular communication needs so we spoke with the relatives of five people who used the service.

Both of the people we spoke with who used the service told us they were happy and felt safe. Both told us they liked staff and felt comfortable they could discuss any concerns they may have with staff.

All of the relatives we spoke with told us they were happy with the care and support their family members received. One relative told us, “They [care staff] have made great progress in enabling [family member’s name] to live independently, with appropriate support.” Another relative told us, “We are confident the service is meeting the needs of [family member’s name].”

Relatives told us staff supported their family member’s health and personal care needs and took prompt action to get them medical attention when it was needed. Relatives also told us staff treated their family members’ with dignity and respect.

All of the staff we spoke with told us the provider was good in terms of the training provided and that they enjoyed working at the service. One staff member told us, “I love my job. I like to make people happy and get a lot out of it.” Another told us, “The work is really rewarding. It’s good to see how people develop.”

There are two sites covered by the registration: Whitegates and Park Place which is a few hundred yards away. We visited both sites.

On the day of our visit to Whitegates there were twelve people living at the main care home, and a further six living at near by Park Place.

Many of the people who live at Whitegates have communication difficulties and therefore not everyone was able to tell us about their experiences. However observations indicated that people were well cared for, and treated with respect.

We spoke with one gentleman who lives at Park Place, which is a residential setting close to Whitegates and which falls under the same registration. We spoke with the gentleman in his flat and he told us how he had moved from Whitegates through to being independent in his own one bed roomed flat. He told us with great pride how much he valued his independence, and how the staff had helped him to achieve it.