This inspection visit took place on 14 November 2017 and was announced. Fylde and Wyre Short Break Services is a purpose built bungalow set in its own grounds close to a day centre for people with learning disabilities. The bungalow has six bedrooms, one lounge, dining area and a sun lounge. There is also a smaller quiet lounge and sitting room at the front of the bungalow. There are a range of aids and adaptations in place which meets the needs of people using the service. At the time of our inspection visit there were 50 people currently using the service and five people staying at the bungalow.

There was a registered manager in place. 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.

At the last inspection on 01 May 2017 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

We spoke with five people staying at Fylde and Wyre Short Breaks Services. They told us they always enjoyed their stays and liked the staff who supported them. They told us they were supported to maintain their independence and undertake activities of their choice during their stay. One person said, “I like coming here the staff are nice. They take me swimming which I like.”

We received positive feedback from family members contacted during the inspection. They told us their relatives were well supported, safe and treated with dignity and respect when they stayed at Fylde and Wyre Short Breaks Services. One person said, “[Relative] gets really excited about going to stay at the bungalow. [Relative] loves the staff who are absolutely brilliant.”

We found sufficient staffing levels were in place to provide support people required. Careful consideration had been given to matching staff with specific skills and personalities to ensure people were supported by staff they knew and liked.

The service had systems in place to record safeguarding concerns, accidents and incidents and take necessary action as required. Staff had received safeguarding training and understood their responsibilities to report unsafe care or abusive practices.

Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of harm to people during the delivery of their care. These had been kept under review and were relevant to the care provided.

Staff had been recruited safely, appropriately trained and supported. They had skills, knowledge and experience required to support people with their care and social needs.

We found medication procedures in place at the service were safe. Staff responsible for the administration of medicines had received training to ensure they had the competency and skills required. Medicines were safely kept and appropriate arrangements for storing were in place.

We saw there was an emphasis on promoting dignity, respect and independence for people who stayed at the service. People told us staff treated them as individuals and delivered person centred care.

People who used Fylde and Wyre Short Breaks Services had a care and support plan created with their involvement or a family member and was written in a person centred way. The care plan documented all aspects of the persons needs including how they wanted their care and support to be provided, their wants, needs, likes and dislikes.

We looked around the building and found it had been maintained, was clean and hygienic and a safe place for people to live. We found equipment had been serviced and maintained as required.

The design of the building and facilities provided were appropriate for the care and support provided.

The service had safe infection control procedures in place and staff had received infection control training. Staff wore protective clothing such a

This inspection was carried out on 01 May 2015 and was announced. The service provides respite support to people therefore we checked in advance to ensure the service was open on the planned day of our visit. We gave the provider 24 hours’ notice of our inspection.

We last inspected Fylde and Wyre Short Break Services in July 2013 and identified no breaches in the regulations we looked at.

Fylde and Wyre Short Break Services is a care home providing personal respite care and accommodation for up to six people. The bungalow has six bedrooms, one lounge, dining area and a sun lounge. There is also a smaller quiet lounge and sitting room at the front of the bungalow. At the time of the inspection there were six people staying at the service.

There are a range of aids and adaptations in place which meets the needs of people using the service. These include a sensory room and sensory bathroom.

The home has a manager who is registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

During the inspection we observed staff interacted with people visiting the service with respect and professionalism and people were seen to be engaging with staff openly. People told us that staff supported them to maintain their independence and we saw evidence of this within the care documentation we viewed.

We found people and others who were important to them, were involved in the planning of their care and documentation was written in person centred way. Relatives told us the service consulted with them and responded to peoples’ needs promptly and with understanding and empathy.

The registered manager reviewed the staff skills and abilities and matched these to the needs of people who stayed at the service. Staff understood the needs and preferences of the people they supported and people spoke very positively about the care and support they received from staff. .

We saw evidence that when appropriate, people were referred to other health professionals for further advice and support and staff were knowledgeable of peoples’ assessed needs and delivered care in accordance with these.

There were systems in place to ensure people who used the service were protected from the risk of harm and abuse and the staff we spoke with were knowledgeable of the action to take if they had concerns in this area.

There were arrangements in place to ensure people received their medicines safely and staff were knowledgeable of these.

The registered manager had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and their responsibilities under the Act. This meant that if people lacked capacity and restrictions were required to ensure their safety, applications were made appropriately.

The service had a manager who was registered with the Care Quality Commission and staff told us they felt supported by the manager.

During our inspection we met the registered manager, deputy manager and two members of staff who provided care and support to people using the short break service. In addition we spoke with a relative who called into the service during the inspection.

We saw the way care planning and the delivery of support made sure people’s needs and choices were being taken into account. Staff we spoke with were knowledgeable about the care and support needs of each person. One person told us, “Everybody here is treated as an individual, we get to know their likes and dislikes”.

People using the service had a choice and range of meals and snacks. There was flexibility in when people chose to eat. We saw evidence of this when one person had chosen to take breakfast later in the morning.

The service environment provided people with a number of aids and adaptations specifically designed for people with a range of disabilities. The service was spacious and enabled people to move around freely. We saw people using the service walk around without restriction. One person was seen to enjoy using the outdoor facilities.

The staff team were experienced and received training to give them the knowledge and skills they needed to do their jobs well. Families felt supported and appreciated having a small team of support workers.

We visited this service on 14th June 2012. During the course of the inspection we spoke with the registered manager, deputy manager, two members of staff, two people using the service and a relative.

People we spoke with told us they were satisfied with the way the service operated. Staff told us it was a ‘nice’ place to work. A relative told us they liked the way staff gave them information about their relatives care and support. A comment they made told us, “We have only used the service for eighteen months but it’s made a big difference to us, I wish I had used it before.”

Some people using the service had limited communication. However, this did not stop the carer from understanding them. We saw they listened to them and were able to communicate, as they had a good knowledge and understanding of their needs. A staff member told us, “I have been doing this job for a long time and you get to know the customers well, so you tend to tune in.”

Staff members we spoke with demonstrated an awareness of the individual needs of people using the short break service. They also spoke of the importance of treating people with respect and dignity. Comments from staff included, “Most of us have been here for a long time, which helps because we all know the service users as they have been using the service for a long time as well.” Also, “I love working here it’s so homely and the service users tend to know each other so it can be like a big family sometimes.”