We carried out this announced inspection on the 11 and 18 July 2017. This was the first inspection since the service was registered in July 2016.

Heysham Gardens is a purpose built Extra Care housing development managed by Eden Housing Association Ltd. Creative Support - Heysham Gardens (Creative Support) has a contract to offer some of the personal care to those requiring support within the Heysham Gardens development. Creative Support are registered to offer personal care in people’s own homes 24 hours a day. When we inspected 27 people were receiving care from Creative Support ranging from a few hours a week up to several hours per day. We inspected the personal care provided to the Extra Care development provided by Creative Support - Heysham Gardens (Creative Support).

A registered manager was in post at the time of our inspection. 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 very complimentary about the service and the staff who supported them. They told us they received care from staff who knew them well, and had the knowledge and skills to meet their needs. Staff displayed genuine caring attitudes towards the people they supported.

We received very positive feedback from health and social care professionals about the working relationship with the service. One professional told us that Creative Support was the “glue” that made the development work so well.

We found there were enough suitably qualified staff available to meet people's needs. The service was very flexible and responded to people's changing needs. Staffing levels were determined by people’s needs and the care packages in place. There was a well-developed programme of training that was designed around the requirements of the people they were supporting.

Matters of a safeguarding nature were dealt with appropriately by the service and referred to the relevant local authority safeguarding adult’s team for investigation and action as necessary. Staff were aware of their own personal responsibility to report matters of a safeguarding nature and to protect the vulnerable people to whom they provided care.

Detailed risk assessments helped to protect people from risks they may encounter in their daily lives. Hazards to people’s safety had been identified and managed.

Recruitment processes were robust and appropriate vetting checks were carried out to ensure that new staff employed were suitable to work with vulnerable adults. Staff confirmed their induction provided them with the essential knowledge and practical guidance they needed before they took up their care duties.

People told us they were very satisfied with the standards of care and support they received. They described how they enjoyed good working relationships with care staff and they were treated with dignity and respect. People received person centred care in line with their individual needs and preferences. There was a clear commitment to support people in a way that promoted their independence.

People were supported to eat and drink in sufficient amounts to remain healthy. Staff encouraged and supported them to eat and drink regularly where this was part of their agreed care plan.

Staff also supported people to access the services of healthcare professionals where they could not do this for themselves, or they had no family members to do this for them.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice. People’s rights were protected and staff obtained people’s consent before providing care. The manager understood their responsibility to comply