We undertook an announced visit to Wyken Court on 1 and 2 June 2016. We told the provider before our visit that we would be coming. This was so people could give consent for us to visit them in their flats to talk with them.

Wyken Court provides housing with care. People live in their own home and receive personal care and support from staff at pre-arranged times and in emergencies. At the time of our visit 27 people at Wyken Court received personal care.

The service was last inspected in June 2014 when we found the provider was compliant with the essential standards described in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010.

The service had a 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.

People received care from staff who had a good understanding of what constituted abuse and knew what actions to take if they had any concerns. There were sufficient numbers of staff to meet people’s individual needs and keep them safe. Identified risks were assessed and managed in a way that promoted people’s independence and safety. There was a safe procedure for managing people’s medicines and people received their medicines as prescribed.

People received care from a regular team of staff who stayed long enough to complete the care people required. People told us staff were friendly and caring and had the right skills to provide the care and support they required.

There was a programme of induction, training and supervision so staff could deliver effective care. Staff had the right skills to provide the care and support people required.

The registered manager understood their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Staff respected people’s decisions and gained people’s consent before they provided personal care.

Support plans and risk assessments contained relevant information to help staff provide the personalised care people required. People knew how to complain and information about making a complaint was available for people. Staff said they could raise any concerns or issues with the management team, knowing they would be listened to and acted on.

There was an experienced management team who provided good leadership and who people who used the service and staff found approachable and responsive. There were systems to monitor and review the quality of service people received and to understand the experiences of people who used the service.

This inspection was completed by one inspector. We spoke with nine people who used the service, the manager and four care staff. Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes what people told us, what we observed, the records we looked at and what staff told us. If you wish to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.

Is the service safe?

People told us they felt safe. One person told us, "I have no worries at all now, I feel so much safer since I came here." Safeguarding procedures were in place and staff understood their role in safeguarding the people they supported. Staff were aware of the provider's whistleblowing policy.

Staff sought people's consent and agreement to their care. This ensured that people's rights were protected.

Staff knew about people's risk management plans and we saw they were supported in line with those plans. This meant people were cared for in a way that protected them from harm.

The provider worked well with health care providers to ensure people's health needs were met and they were protected against harm.

Systems were in place to make sure the manager and staff learned from events such as accidents and incidents, complaints and checks made on the service. This reduced the risk to people.

Is the service effective?

People told us their care needs were assessed with them. We saw evidence that people were involved in their care planning and reviews. We saw care plans were regularly updated. One person told us, "The staff always ask what I need."

Where people had complex needs that required the input of specialist health care services, assessments had been made by the appropriate professionals. Their recommendations were carried out by staff. This meant the provider worked well with other services to ensure people's health care needs were met.

Staff were appropriately supported and trained to ensure they effectively met people's needs.

Is the service caring?

People were supported by kind and caring staff. We saw staff were patient and encouraged people to be independent. One person told us, "You couldn't ask for better staff."

People’s preferences, interests and diverse needs had been recorded and care and support was provided in accordance with people’s wishes.

Is the service responsive?

People had the opportunity to plan and engage in a range of different activities each day.

People were asked their views about the service and the provider acted on comments that people made.

Where care staff had noticed people's changing needs, their care plans were updated to reflect this. We found staff discussed people's care needs with them on a regular basis.

Is the service well led?

The provider had risk management systems in place. We found the provider checked that risks were managed effectively. We found the provider used the information they gathered from their checks to develop a service improvement plan.

The provider sought the views of people who used the service and staff. Records seen by us indicated that people were asked about all aspects of the service and their views were acted on.

Staff told us they were clear about their roles and responsibilities. Staff told us the service was well organised and they felt supported by their manager.

Wyken Court was the main office for a care service which provided personal care to people living at both Wyken Court and nearby Alexandra House. People were cared for by the service whilst living in their own flat. The manager confirmed to us that both locations were run to the same policies and procedures, and people were cared for in the same way. The manager told us Alexandra House was due to be transferred to another organisation within the next 6 months.

At the time of our inspection 34 people were living at Wyken Court and a further 37 people were living at Alexandra House. We looked at care records and information for people who lived at both locations during our inspection.

We observed people eating food in the dining room throughout the lunchtime meal. The atmosphere in the dining room was lively. People were having discussions and laughing with each other. Staff interracted with people positively.

We saw people choosing where they wanted to spend their time. Some people were making use of a communal garden. Other people sat in the lounge area talking with visitors. One person told us "It's nice here....I can do my own thing. We are well looked after here."

People who used the service were protected from the risk of abuse because the provider had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening.

The provider had an effective system to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people receive.

Wyken Court and Alexandra House are housing with care schemes. The care people receive is regulated by the Care Quality Commission, but the accommodation is not.

Wyken Court is the main office for care provided at Wyken Court and Alexandra House in Coventry.

We made an unannounced visit to Wyken Court on 18 May 2012.

At the time of our inspection, 39 people at Alexandra House and 35 people at Wyken Court were receiving a personal care service.

We spoke with three people using the service at Wyken Court and the branch manager of Wyken Court.

People we spoke with said that they were consulted and involved in their care and they were given an opportunity to agree their care plans. People were satisfied with the care they received.

All the people we spoke to said carers were friendly and polite. People told us carers stayed long enough to do everything they needed and that staff take their time and do not rush. One person said, “They know what to do and they do it.”

People told us they felt safe living in Wyken Court. Records showed that staff receive training and supervision to make sure people using the service receive effective and appropriate care.