A M Care Home is a service owned by A M Care Home Ltd. The service provides accommodation and support for up to eight adults with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder or other mental health conditions.

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.

At the last inspection the service was rated as Good. At this inspection the service remained Good.

The service was safe. Staff showed a good knowledge of safeguarding procedures and were clear about the actions they would take to protect people. People were kept safe and risk assessments had been completed to show how people were supported with every day risks. The service had a recruitment process in place, which required certain checks to be carried out before staff started work. It was noted that this had not been correctly followed on one staff file and had gaps in employment history that the registered manager had not followed up. Confirmation has since been received from the registered manager that appropriate systems have been put in place to ensure this does not occur again. There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty to meet people’s needs. People’s medication had been well managed and people received their medication as prescribed.

The service was effective. Staff had been offered training to help ensure they had the skills and knowledge required for their role as a care worker. They also received regular support and felt well supported by the management team. People were supported to be able to eat and drink sufficient amounts to meet their needs. People were supported to maintain good healthcare and had access to a range of healthcare services. The service kept clear records about all healthcare visits.

The service was caring. People had agreed to their care and had been asked how they would like this to be provided. They were treated with dignity and respect and staff provided care in a kind, caring and sensitive manner. Meetings had been held for the people living at the service and for the staff. People’s views and opinions had been sought and the service had listened and made the appropriate improvements.

The service was responsive. Detailed assessments had been carried out and care plans were developed around people’s needs and preferences. The service had a clear complaints procedure in place which was clearly displayed. This provided information on the process and the timespan for response.

The service was well-led. Staff, relatives, healthcare professionals and those living at the service spoke positively about the registered manager and felt the service was well managed. There were systems in place to regularly assess the service and ensure it was providing a quality service and keeping people safe.

The service is registered for eight people. During our visit we spoke with all the people who lived at the service to gain their views on the support and care they received. We also spoke with one person’s relatives who were visiting on the day of our visit. We spoke with the manager and four care workers to obtain their views about the service and discussed issues around training, supervision and quality of the care.

We looked at feedback from recent ‘resident’ meetings and satisfaction questionnaires. This provided information regarding the quality of the service and also showed that people had been involved in the decision making processes within the service. We also looked at two people's care records and also other records held within the service around care and quality.

We considered our inspection findings to answer questions we always ask; Is the service safe? Is the service effective? Is the service caring? Is the service responsive? Is the service well-led?

Below is a summary of what we found.

Is the service safe?

When we arrived at the service the senior staff member on duty asked to see our identification and asked us to sign in the visitor's book. Appropriate actions were taken by the care workers to ensure that the people who used the service were protected from others who did not have the right to access their home.

We saw that the care workers had been provided with training in safeguarding vulnerable adults from abuse, the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). This meant that staff had been provided with the information they needed which would help to ensure that people were safeguarded.

On the day of our visit the service had three care workers on duty and the manager. We saw this was sufficient to meet the needs of the people who lived at the service. Care workers were seen to be available when help was needed and they also showed a good understanding of the communication methods and complex needs of the people who lived there.

Is the service effective?

People's care records showed that care and treatment had been planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare. The records had been regularly reviewed and updated and care staff had been provided with up to date information about how people's needs were to be met.

Is the service caring?

We saw that the care workers interacted with people who lived at the service in a caring, respectful and professional manner. We observed that care workers treated people with respect and encouraged them to be involved in decisions about their care. Some people had lived at the service for a number of years and the care workers had a good understanding of their care needs and how they wished to be supported.

People using the service and their relatives had the opportunity to complete satisfaction questionnaires. Where shortfalls or concerns had been raised these were addressed. One comment received included, “There is a homely atmosphere and I like a family home.”

Is the service responsive?

People using the service were able to participate in activities which interested them. People's choices were taken into account and they were listened too.

Care records showed that where concerns about people’s wellbeing had been identified the care workers had taken appropriate action to ensure that they were provided with the support they needed. This included seeking support and guidance from health care professionals.

Is the service well-led?

The manager of the service was registered with the Care Quality Commission and had knowledge of the regulations.

The service worked well with other agencies and services to make sure people received the care they needed. There were clear lines of accountability and systems in place for people to raise any concerns they may have.

Staff agreed the service was well led. They added the supervision was good and the manager would deal with anything they needed.

The service had quality assurance systems in place and records seen by us showed that any identified shortfalls had been addressed promptly. As a result the quality of the service was continuingly improving.

We spoke with three out of the five people using the service and three staff.

People's comments regarding the staff included, "Perfect," and, "They're good with my ironing, they're good with my eating."

At the time of our inspection the service had recently undergone a change in managers with the new manager awaiting CQC registration. One person told us that they were much happier since the new manager had taken over. It was too early to test the effect the manager had on the service as support was given by the previous manager.

People had consented to care and support. Where this was not possible the provider had acted in accordance with legal requirements. We saw that people had signed consent documents with regards to certain aspects of living at the service, such as, smoking agreements.

We saw that the people's health, safety and welfare was planned for and carried out with person specific support. Care plans were tailored to individual needs, and risk assessments.

Although we planned to look at equipment due to the level of independence of people using the service at the time of our inspection, the only equipment was a wheelchair. The servicing arrangements for this ensured that people were protected from the use of unsafe equipment.

Staffing rotas showed us that there were sufficient staff to meet people's needs and provide support on a one to one basis as required.

We found that records were kept securely and contained accurate information.

We spoke with four people using the service and observed interactions of staff with people. One person we spoke to told us that they, "...feel very safe here, they're [staff] always on the look out." Another person told us that staff were, "Very, very good, they're all good to me."

We saw one person discussing with the manager the changes they wanted to make to their room. This showed that people felt able to make choices about the environment they lived in. We saw that staff supported people to gain essential life skills to assist them in reaching the goals agreed in their individual care plans.

Staff interactions with people were positive and staff were aware of how to calm tensions between people.

The inspection took place on the 30 June and 7 July 2015.

A M Care Home is a service owned by A M Care Home Ltd. The service provides accommodation and support for up to eight adults with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder or other mental health conditions.

The service has 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 treated with dignity and respect and staff interacted with people in a kind, caring and sensitive manner. Staff showed a good knowledge of safeguarding procedures and were clear about the actions they would take to protect people.

There was a regular and consistent staff team. The provider had appropriate recruitment checks in place which helped to protect people and ensure staff were suitable to work at the service. There were sufficient numbers of skilled, well trained and qualified staff on duty. Staff told us that they felt well supported in their role. We saw that staff had received regular training and support.

We found that detailed assessments had been carried out and that the care plans were very well developed around each individual’s needs and preferences. There were risk assessments in place and plans on how the risks were to be managed. People were supported with taking every day risks and encouraged to take part in daily activities and outings. There were systems in place to support people living at the service to make decision for themselves; to help ensure their rights were protected.

People were happy and relaxed with staff. Systems were in place for people to raise concerns and they could be confident they would be listened to and appropriate action would be taken.

People’s medication was well managed and this helped to ensure that people received their medication safely.

People were supported to be able to eat and drink sufficient amounts to meet their needs and were offered choice.

We found that people’s healthcare was good. People had access to a range of healthcare providers such as their GP, dentists, chiropodists and opticians.

The provider had an effective quality assurance systems in place. People had the opportunity to feedback on their experiences. Staff tried to involve people in day to day decisions and the running of the service and the service was well managed.