We undertook this inspection of Your Life Northwich on the 21st and 23rd of November 2018. Both visits were announced.

This was the first inspection of the service since its registration in 2015.

This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is rented, and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.

People who used this service lived in their own apartments with access to communal areas, for example an activities room and restaurant.

Not everyone who used the service received the regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; for example, help with tasks related to personal hygiene, or medication. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection there were six people receiving the personal care service.

There was 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. The registered manager was present on both days of our visits.

People felt safe with the staff team and staff demonstrated knowledge about the types of potential abuse that could occur and how these could be reported. Medication management was robust.

New staff recruited to the service underwent appropriate checks to ensure they were suitable to work with vulnerable adults. Sufficient staff were employed to meet people’s needs.

Risk assessments were in place to protect people. These related to the hazards they faced while they were being supported as well as general risks posed by the environment. Accidents and incidents were recorded and analysed to prevent future occurrence.

The registered provider reflected on its care practice to ensure that lessons learned were embedded into future care practice.

Staff received the training and supervision they needed to perform their role.

While no-one was supported with nutritional needs; the registered provider was mindful of future changes that could occur and included these in care plans.

The registered provider understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and had systems in place to assess people’s capacity. Assistance had been given to people to help them orientate themselves to their own living space within the building. The health needs of people were promoted.

People were supported in a dignified and respectful manner. People remained independent, had their privacy promoted and had their personal accommodation respected by the staff team.

People’s confidential information was kept secure at all times.

Care plans were very person centred and people who used the service had been involved in their development. A robust complaints procedure for investigating concerns was in place. The registered provider facilitated access to activities for people if they wished to participate. Information was provided to people in accessible formats if required.

People who used the service considered the service to be well run and were complimentary of the registered manager’s approach. The registered provider had robust audits in place to measure the quality of the support provided.

The views of people and other stakeholders were gained in order to inform the quality assurance process. The registered provider always informed us of events within the service as required by law.