The inspection took place on 31 August and 6 September 2018 and was announced. Century Way provides care and support to people living in a ‘supported living’ setting, so that they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support. The service was providing support to four people at the time of our inspection.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

The service had 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.

This was the first inspection of the service. At this inspection we found a breach of regulations because the registered manager had not always submitted notifications about certain events to CQC, where required.

You can see what action we have told the provider to take at the back of the full version of this report.

People received their medicines as prescribed from staff who had been trained in medicines administration but improvement was required to ensure people’s medicines were safely stored. Risks to people had been assessed and action taken to mitigate identified risks. People were protected from the risk of abuse because staff were aware of the types of abuse that could occur, the signs to look for, and the procedures for reporting abuse allegations. Staff were also aware of the provider’s whistle blowing procedure and told us they felt confident that they would use it if needed.

The provider followed safe recruitment practices. There were sufficient staff on each working shift to safely meet people’s needs. Staff were aware of the action to take to reduce the risk of infection when supporting people. The registered manager maintained a record of any accidents or incidents which occurred and shared learning with staff in order to reduce the risk of repeat occurrence.

People’s needs were assessed and their care planned and delivered in line with nationally recognised guidance. Staff received an induction when they started work for the provider. They were supported in their roles through a programme of training and received regular supervision. The registered manager had staff annual appraisals planned for the end of their first year working at the service.

People received the support they required to maintain a balanced diet. They had access to a range of healthcare services when needed, and staff sought to ensure they received consistent, joined up care when moving between different services. 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. Staff sought people’s consent when offering them support. They were aware of how the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) applied to their roles when supporting people. The registered manager was working with the local authority to start the process of seeking lawful authorisation to deprive one person of their liberty, in line with the MCA.

Staff treated people with kindness and consideration. People were supported to express their views and were involved in decisions about their care and treatment. They were also treated with dignity and their privacy was respected. Staff encouraged people to develop their skills and maintain their indepen