Advance Fareham is registered to provide personal care to people. At the time of our inspection, the service was supporting six people. It provides a service to older people and younger adults living with learning disabilities, autism, mental health conditions and dementia.

This service provides care and support to people living in 'supported living' settings, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. People's housing was provided under separate contractual agreements. The Care Quality Commission does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support only.

Some people lived in two houses of multiple occupation. This meant at least three people shared household facilities such as toilets, bathrooms and kitchens. Other people lived in a block of seven self-contained flats with their own household facilities. The houses and flats were situated close to each other geographically, in the same city.

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.

Not everyone using Advance Fareham received regulated activity; the Commission only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where people received these services, their wider social needs were taken into account.

People were supported with their medication. The service was not recording the room temperatures of where medicines were being stored. Where the service was supporting people with self-administration and storing their medicines for them; the records did not always show the boxed medication had been given to the person. The registered manager had extra training organised to further improve how the service assists individuals with taking their medicines. Medication and health and safety audits were completed.

People were safeguarded from abuse in the service. The registered manager and staff understood their responsibilities in protecting people from abuse and raising concerns. Staff had received training in safeguarding.

Incidents and accidents were recorded and lessons identified where possible.

Staff were recruited safely, following the appropriate checks. Staff received effective training and support to carry out their duties.

Care plans included person-centred information about risks and how to mitigate them safely. People were referred to other healthcare professionals as needed, in a timely fashion. The service worked in partnership with other professionals and agencies.

The registered person was notifying the Commission without delay of certain types of incidents for example abuse or allegations of abuse.

People were treated equally and in accordance with the Equalities Act 2010.

The service was not supporting people at the end of their lives at the time of the inspection. The service had discussed some people’s wishes for the end of their lives and planned to further explore end of life choices with people.

People were supported in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and staff always sought consent from people before supporting them.

The service incorporated best practice guidance into their care and support. People told us that staff were kind and caring towards them. People were treated with dignity and respect.

The service was well-led, people and staff felt well supported by the registered manager. Staff understood their responsibilities and were proud of achievements they had made in their work.

People knew how to raise a complaint and received feedback from the service about the investigation of their complaint.

The inspection took place on 20, 21 and 29 January 2016. We gave notice of our intention to visit Advance Fareham’s office and two of the homes where they supported people to make sure people we needed to speak with were available.

Advance Fareham is registered to provide personal care services in their own homes to people who may be living with a learning disability, a mental health condition or dementia. Advance Housing and Support Ltd provides a range of social care services, not all of which are regulated by the Care Quality Commission. At the time of our inspection there were eight people whose personal care and support came under the scope of this inspection, although other people received services from Advance Fareham which were not regulated.

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.

Advance Fareham registered with us in July 2015 when they took over a number of services from another provider. The registered manager and support workers transferred to Advance Housing and Support Ltd at this time.

The provider made sure support workers were informed about the risks of abuse and avoidable harm and had procedures in place for staff to report concerns. They took steps to manage other risks to people’s health and wellbeing. There were enough support workers to support people safely according to their needs. Recruitment procedures were in place to make sure support workers employed were suitable to work in a care setting. Procedures and processes were in place to make sure people were supported with medicines safely.

Support workers received support to obtain and maintain the skills and knowledge they required to help people according to their needs. Support workers had appropriate training, and formal and informal supervision. They were aware of the need to obtain consent from people for their care and support, and of their legal responsibilities if a person lacked capacity to make a particular decision. Where appropriate, support workers helped and prompted people to eat and drink healthily, and helped them to access other healthcare services when needed.

The registered manager encouraged caring relationships between support workers and the people they supported. People were able to influence and be involved in the service they received. Support workers respected and promoted people’s dignity and privacy.

People’s care and support met their needs and took their choices into account. Care plans were individual to the person. People were supported to assess and review their own care plans. Plans were reviewed every six months or when people’s needs changed. Procedures were in place to make sure people’s care was as agreed in their plans. People were supported to take part in activities in the community and to go on holiday. There was a complaints procedure in place. People were aware of it, but they had not needed to use it.

People and support workers found the registered manager was open to comments and suggestions. There were good channels of communication and the registered manager was easy to contact. Support workers told us there was good team working to support people. Systems were in place to monitor and improve the quality of service provided.