This unannounced inspection of Abbeyfield Lodge took place on 3 and 5 July 2017. The home provides accommodation and support for up to 13 people with learning disabilities, autism or mental health diagnoses. The primary aim at Abbeyfield Lodge is to support people to lead a full and active life within their local communities and continue with life-long learning and personal development. At the time of inspection there were 11 people living in the home.

The accommodation includes twelve single bedrooms on the ground and first floors, eight of which have en-suite facilities. There are also three separate bathrooms. Additionally, there is a self-contained one-bedroom flat on the first floor, normally used to support people to transition to independent living.

At the time of the previous inspection of Abbeyfield Lodge in 2014 a different provider had legal responsibility for meeting the requirements under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the service is run. The current provider took over the management of the home and began to provide a service on 10 October 2016.

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 were protected from abuse because staff were trained and understood the actions required to keep people safe. Staff were able to explain their role and responsibility to protect people, which included personal intervention to prevent further abuse and reporting issues to the appropriate authorities.

The risks relating to people’s health and welfare were assessed and recorded, along with actions identified to reduce those risks in the least restrictive way. People’s care plans were tailored to meet individual needs and provided sufficient information to allow staff to protect people whilst promoting their independence. People’s care plans had been reviewed regularly to ensure they included all of the information staff required to meet people’s needs.

The registered manager completed a daily staffing needs analysis to ensure there were always sufficient numbers of staff with the right skills mix and experience to keep people safe. When required staffing levels had been increased to meet identified changes to people’s needs. Staff had undergone relevant pre- employment checks to assure the provider of their suitability to support vulnerable people living with a learning disability or mental health diagnosis.

People received their prescribed medicines safely from staff who had their competency to do so assessed annually by the registered manager.

The provider’s required staff training was up to date which ensured staff understood how to meet people’s support and care needs. Staff also underwent further training specific to the needs of the people they supported.. Training was refreshed regularly to ensure staff retained and updated the skills and knowledge required to support people in accordance with best practice.

Staff protected people’s rights to make their own decisions and supported them to make as many decisions as possible. Where people did not have the capacity to consent to care, legislation designed to protect people’s legal rights was followed correctly and confidently by staff.

People were treated with dignity and respect at all times. Staff demonstrated caring and positive relationships with people and were sensitive to their individual choices.

People were supported to have enough to eat and drink. Where people had been identified to be at risk of choking staff supported them discreetly to minimise such risks, protecting them from harm and promoting their dignity.

People where appropriate their relatives were supported to be a