This inspection visit took place on 20 July 2017 and was unannounced.

Adalena House is a large detached house in a residential area of Blackpool. There are no features which identify Adalena House as being somewhere that provides adult social care. The house looks the same as others in the neighbourhood. The home is registered to accommodate up to six adults, with a learning disability who require assistance with personal care. At the time of our visit six people lived at the home. All had lived there for a number of years.

At the last comprehensive inspection on 21 January 2015 the service was rated overall as good.

At this inspection we found the service remained good.

People we spoke with said staff were kind and caring and they felt safe and were happy at Adalena House. There were procedures in place to protect people from abuse and unsafe care. The local authority were investigating a possible safeguarding concern. Senior staff were cooperating with this and providing information to the local authority. Staff had received training in safeguarding adults.

We saw risk assessments were in place which provided guidance for staff. These measures minimised risks to people.

Staff managed medicines safely. Medicines were stored securely, administered as prescribed and disposed of appropriately.

There were sufficient staff available to provide people with personal care and social and leisure activities.

Staff received training to support and care for people. They had the skills, knowledge and experience to provide care that met people’s needs.

Infection control practice was good and staff had received training in this area.

Peoples’ consent and agreement were sought before staff provided care.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People told us they enjoyed a variety and choice of meals. Staff knew people’s food likes, dislikes and any allergies people had.

Care plans were personalised and in a semi pictorial format to help people understand them.

People and where appropriate their relatives were involved in making decisions about their care. Where people were unable to make their own decisions independent advocates were available.

People knew how to raise a concern or to make a complaint. The complaints procedure was available in text and easy read formats. People said they were encouraged to raise any concerns.

People were encouraged to give their views at informal ‘residents’ meetings over Sunday lunch. They and where appropriate their relatives were invited to complete surveys about the quality of their care.

Senior staff monitored the support staff provided to people. Audits of care and support records and risk assessments were carried out regularly.

This inspection took place on 21 January 2015 and was an announced inspection. This meant the staff and provider knew 24 hours before the inspection we would be visiting. This was because as a small home for people with learning disabilities, people are often out during the day.

Adalena House is a large detached house in a residential area of Blackpool. There are no features which identify Adalena House as being somewhere that provides adult social care, and the house looks the same as others in the neighbourhood. The home is registered to accommodate up to six adults, with a learning disability who require assistance with personal care. At the time of our visit six people lived at the home.

There was a mix of single occupancy and double rooms. None were en-suite. Some people chose to share rooms. Communal bathing facilities and toilets were available throughout the home. There was a garden area to the front of the building and an area for people to sit out in at the back of the house. There was wheelchair access from the rear of the home and the ground floor of the home was wheelchair accessible.

The service was last inspected in September 2013. They met the requirements of the regulations during that inspection.

The registered provider was an individual who also managed the home on a day to day basis. Registered providers 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.

Risks to people were minimised because the registered provider had procedures in place to protect people from abuse and unsafe care. People told us they felt safe living at Adalena House and were very happy there. One person said, “I like it here – I have always felt safe”. Another person told us, “I do feel safe here – yes – enough people work here to make me feel safe – they are good at their job”.

We looked at how the home was being staffed. There were enough staff available to provide support to people in the home, on activities, appointments and holidays. Most people were quite independent around the house and needed a low level of supervision within the home. More staff support was provided when people went out in the community.

Staff had been trained and had the skills and knowledge to provide support to the people they cared for. They understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which meant they were working within the law to support people who may lack capacity to make their own decisions.

People’s health needs were met and any changes in health managed in a timely manner. Medicines were managed appropriately. They were given as prescribed and stored and disposed of correctly.

People were offered a choice of healthy and nutritious meals. People told us they enjoyed the food. Mealtimes were flexible. Some meals were eaten as a group, others separately, according to what people were doing each day. One person told us, “We get loads to eat – loads and loads. All good. We usually eat together in the dining room.” Another person said, “I enjoy living here – I am happy with the food and drink here. Food choice and quality are fine.”

People we spoke with told us that staff were kind and caring. They told us they were happy and satisfied with life at Adalena House. One person told us “I have lived here for a few years now and we all enjoy living together. The staff are all good.” Another person said “It’s nice here. We have a good life here.”

Staff were aware of people’s individual needs around privacy and dignity. They spoke with people in a respectful way. People felt they could trust staff and they were friendly and respectful. One person said, “The staff treat me with respect – all the time.”

People attended day centres several times a week. Staff supported people to engage in activities of their choosing, in the home and local community. They were very welcoming to people’s friends and relatives and were proactive in making sure that people were able to keep relationships that mattered to them.

There was a positive culture in the home. There was informal quality assurance in place to monitor the quality of the service. The provider routinely worked in the home and dealt with any issues of quality quickly and appropriately. The staff team had frequent informal chats with people about their views of the home. They made sure these were passed on to the registered provider at shift handovers.

There were six people living in the home when we visited. We talked with people and observed how people were supported by staff. We saw that people were treated with respect and dignity. People told us they liked the staff and they were good.

Person centred care records were in place providing information about people. These were updated frequently and showed that people were involved in decisions.

People were involved in planning meals. Staff encouraged people to eat healthily as much as possible.

People felt the home was staffed well enough to provide care and support and leisure activities.

The owner and staff checked that the home was running well and sought the views of people and their families

People living in the home were encouraged to make informed decisions and give valid consent to the care and support and any treatment they received. Staff made sure that people had enough information about the benefits and risks of particular decisions. They also discussed alternative options so that the person could make an informed choice.

Care plans were in place. These showed how the person wanted their care delivered. Staff clearly knew the individual needs of each person and supported them in a sensitive and caring way. One person said, “I love it here. I want to stay forever.”

Adalena House was homely, well maintained and safe. People were clearly comfortable in ‘their’ house. People’s bedrooms were furnished and decorated in the personal taste of the occupant. People said they were happy living at Adalena House. One person said, “I have two homes, here and my family home.” Another person told us, “It’s great, and I can go to my room when I want a bit of peace and quiet”.

All staff had completed national care qualifications. The staff members we spoke with felt the training they were receiving provided them with the skills and knowledge to support people well.

There was an effective complaints system available. People we spoke with told us they would speak to the owner or a member of staff if they were unhappy. They felt their comments or complaints would be listened to and acted on.

People told us they were content with the care at the home. They described that they lived like a family and were treated with dignity and respect. They said staff members were caring and shared their lives. They also said the food was good and there were a lot of activities they were free to choose from or to join in. People said that they enjoyed going out to work as well as having holidays in and outside of the United Kingdom.