This inspection took place on 17 March 2017 and was unannounced. At our previous inspection in January 2015 we had concerns that not all unexplained injuries to people were investigated. At this inspection we found that improvements had been made in this area. However we had concerns that the provider was not following their own recruitment policy and the service was not consistently safe and well led.

1A North Court provides personal care for up to eight people with learning and physical disabilities in their own homes. At the time of the inspection eight people were using the service.

There was a registered manager in post, however they were absent on the day of the 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The provider did not ensure themselves that agency staff working at the service were fit and of good character.

Risks of harm to people were assessed and minimised through the effective use of risk assessments.

People were receiving their medicines from trained staff when required.

There were sufficient numbers of suitably trained staff to meet people's needs safely. Permanent staff were recruited through safe procedures.

People were safeguarded from abuse as staff and the management knew what to do when they suspected potential abuse. The local safeguarding procedures were being followed.

People were receiving care from staff that felt supported and had received training to be effective in their roles.

The principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were being followed to ensure that people's human rights were being upheld and that they were consenting to their care at the service.

People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts of food and drink of their liking and in a way that met their individual needs. Staff knew what to do if people became unwell or their health needs changed and they responded accordingly.

People were treated with dignity and respect. People's right to privacy was upheld and they were encouraged to be as independent as they were able to be.

People were receiving care that met their individual assessed needs and preferences and their care was regularly reviewed with them and their representatives.

People were supported to participate in hobbies and interests of their liking within their home and local community.

The provider had a complaints procedure. Relatives felt confident that issues and concerns would be addressed.

The provider had systems in place to monitor and improve the service. An action plan had been developed which had identified areas of improvement and these were being addressed.

This inspection took place on the 27 January 2015 and was unannounced. This was the provider’s first inspection since registration in May 2013.

1A North Court provides personal care to up to eight people with physical and learning disabilities in a supported living environment. There were seven people using the service at the time of the inspection.

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.

People were not always protected from harm, unexplained injuries had not been appropriately investigated. The provider did not take reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse.

Each person had the staff support they had been assessed as requiring. There were sufficient staff to keep people safe.

People’s medicines were managed safely. Staff had received comprehensive training and support to enable them to administer people’s medicines safely.

Staff were well trained and supported to fulfil their role. The provider had a recruitment process in place. Records we looked at confirmed that staff were only employed with the service after all essential pre-employment safety checks had been satisfactorily completed. Arrangements were in place to ensure that newly employed staff received an induction and received opportunities for training.

CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLs) and to report on what we find. The provider was following the principles of the MCA and had made several DoLS referrals to the local authority.

People’s health care needs were met. People received regular health support from external agencies. Staff supported people to attend health care appointments.

When people had specific nutritional needs these were met by competently trained staff.

The provider supported people to be as independent as they were able and to maintain and make friendships.

Care was planned and personalised. Records, observations and discussions with staff demonstrated that people using the service were at the centre of the care being delivered. Regular reviews took place to ensure that where people’s preferences had changed this was acknowledged.

The manager told us that they had responded to people’s complaints and concerns in line with the complaints procedure.