This inspection took place on 17 October 2018 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a service for people who may be out during the day, we needed to be sure that someone would be in. At our last inspection we rated the service Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of Good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Homewards Limited - 51 Leonard Road is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Homewards Limited - 51 Leonard Road provides care and support for up to three people with learning disabilities and/or autistic spectrum disorders. At the time of our inspection there were three people using the service.

There was a registered manager at the service 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People and a relative told us they felt safe with staff and there were enough staff to meet their needs. Staff were trained in safeguarding and knew how to safeguard people against harm and abuse. People’s risk assessments were completed, regularly reviewed and gave sufficient information to staff on how to provide safe care. Staff kept detailed records of people’s accidents and incidents. Staff wore appropriate protection equipment to prevent the risk of spread of infection. Medicines were stored and administered safely. The home environment was clean.

Staff undertook training and received regular supervision to help support them to provide effective care. Staff we spoke with had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). MCA and DoLS is legislation protecting people who are unable to make decisions for themselves or whom the state has decided need to be deprived of their liberty in their best interest. We saw people were able to choose what they ate and drank. People told us they enjoyed the food. The home was well decorated and adapted to meet the needs of people using the service.

People told us that they were well treated and the staff were caring. We found that care records were in place which included information about how to meet a person’s individual and assessed needs. People’s cultural and religious needs were respected when planning and delivering care. Discussions with staff members showed that they respected people’s sexual orientation so that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people could feel accepted and welcomed in the service. People had access to a wide variety of activities. The service had a complaints procedure in place. People’s end of life wishes were explored.

Staff told us the registered manager was approachable and supportive. The home had various quality assurance and monitoring mechanisms in place.

This inspection took place on the 13 October 2016. At the last inspection of this service carried out in September 2014 we found they were fully compliant with all the outcomes we inspected at that time.

The service is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide accommodation support with personal care and to up to three adults with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder. Three people were using the service at the time of our inspection.

The service had 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.

Although medicines were mostly managed in a safe manner, we found that correction fluid had been used on some medicines records. The service did not always have clear records of medical appointments. We have made recommendations about these issues within the report.

The service had appropriate safeguarding adults procedures in place. There were enough staff working at the service to support people in a safe manner and checks were carried out on staff before they began working at the service. Risk assessments were in place which included information about how to mitigate risks people faced.

Staff were well supported and received regular training and supervision. The service was operating within the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and people were able to make choices about their daily lives. This included choices about what they ate and drank. People had routine access to health care professionals.

People told us they were treated with respect and in a caring manner by staff. The service promoted people’s independence and privacy.

People’s needs were assessed before they moved into the service. Care plans were in place which set out how to meet people’s individual needs. The service had a complaints procedure in place and people knew how to make a complaint.

People and staff told us they found the registered manager to be approachable and helpful. The service had various quality assurance and monitoring systems in place. Some of these included seeking the views of people that used the service.

A single inspector carried out this inspection. At the time of this inspection 51 Leonard Road was providing care and support to three people. We spoke with one person living at the home to obtain their views of the support provided, the home manager and one member of staff. We also looked at records and observed the care provided.

Below is a summary of what we found. If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.

Is the service safe?

People who used the service told us they were happy and safe. We spoke with one person about their views of the service. They smiled and gave positive responses. When asked if they liked living at the home, they replied, "Yes I do."

Systems were in place to make sure managers and staff learned from events such as accidents and incidents. This reduced the risks to people and helped the service to continually improve. We found risk assessments had been undertaken to identify any potential risk and the actions required to manage and minimise the risk had been put in place. This meant people were not put at unnecessary risk.

The home had policies and procedures in relation to the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. The manager told us that no applications had been made to deprive people of their liberty but staff understood how to submit one and follow the correct process. This meant people would be safeguarded from any potential abuse.

The service liaised with the emergency services and arrangements were in place to deal with foreseeable emergencies.

Is the service effective?

During our visit, we found people were provided with the support they needed. We found staff knew people well and were aware of their individual preferences. We found staff treated people in a kind manner and there was a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Care files we checked confirmed that initial assessments had been carried out by the staff before people moved into the home. This was to ensure the home was able to effectively meet the needs of the people. Managers' were accessible to staff for advice and support and we saw people being able to access the manager as needed.

All the records we looked at were fit for purpose. They were easily accessible throughout the inspection.

Is the service caring?

One relative in the quality survey said, "The care and facilities provided by the home is excellent." During our observation we saw friendly interactions between staff and people who used the service and there was kindness in the staff's tone of voice when speaking with people who were excitable. Interactions between staff and people who used the service were relaxed and unrushed. We found staff understood the need to recognise and respect the diversity and human rights of people who used the service.

Is the service responsive?

Staff told us the care and support provided was flexible to the person's individual needs and adjustments could be made where required. Staff said they informed the manager if they felt any change in needs was required and the support was reviewed and updated in the care plan. People knew how to make a complaint if they were unhappy and the manager and staff spoke with relatives on a regular basis and would deal with any issues promptly.

Is the service well-led?

The service worked well with other agencies and services to make sure people received their care in a joined up way.

Staff had regular meetings and were kept updated about any information during the daily handover sessions. This helped to maintain consistency in the running of the service and to ensure staff were aware of relevant information. Feedback was sought by way of relative/friend satisfaction surveys, staff surveys and 1:1 sessions with people who used the service. This showed people had the opportunity to put their views across.

The service had a quality assurance system in place. Daily and monthly audits were completed such as a premises check and cleanliness of the home. This ensured a timely response could be given to any issues and the service could maintain and improve quality at all times.

We spoke to one people living at the home, the other two people had gone for a walk. One person said "I've just been to the doctors."

We spoke to one relative who told us that everything is fine and they have no concerns about the care provided.

We looked at three care plans and found them to be person centred and focused on people's needs. All aspects of support and different tasks were shown in picture format which ensured people at the home were involved in their care.

We looked at pictures from a recent gardening class that the home had provided in the back garden. The people we spoke to confirmed they did this and enjoyed it. People were also booked on Drama sessions which showed the home supported new activities people wanted to try.

The home was clean and tidy and people at the home were wearing clean clothes. The registered manager told us that it is very important that people at the home are always presentable and that the home is clean at all times. We saw that people at the home were doing their own laundry which encouraged the maintenance of a hygienic environment.

Staff went through appropriate checks and the home ensured that they were suitably qualified to care for the people at the home.

There was a complaints policy which was clear and available in different formats. No complaints had been made at the home.

Two rooms were occupied by people at the time of our inspection. The person we spoke with told us their views regarding their experience of living in the home. They said they were “happy here” and that they liked it. Their rooms had been personalised by the people who use the service to reflect their personality. We observed staff interacting with the person, when the person approached one of the carer workers for assistance. We observed that the care worker used effective communication skills to ensure that he understood the request being made.

One staff member told us that they did have regular individual meetings with their manager, theses sessions included an appraisal, reviewed thier performance and identified appropriate training needs.

Following the last inspection the provider had to undertake minor repairs. This was being acted upon and redecoration of some of the rooms had been carried out.

People told us that the home is "alright" and indicated that they are happy there and liked their rooms. Also that they get on well with each other.