This unannounced comprehensive inspection was carried out on 25 July 2018. It was completed on 10 August 2018 when we had spoken with some of the people’s relatives and visited some of the people using the service. This is the first inspection of the service since it was registered with the Care Quality Commission in November 2016.

Luton Council Respite and Shared Lives Service runs a ‘care home’ to provide respite care to people with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum conditions. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The care home accommodates up to 9 people and the service supports 41 people on a rotational basis. At the time of the inspection, three people were being supported by the service.

The service also operates a ‘shared lives’ scheme. This is a service which supports people who need care to move in and live with their approved carer. At the time of the inspection, 10 people were living with and being supported by eight approved carers.

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.

There was no registered manager in post. A new manager who had been in post for a few months was in the process of registering 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.

People were safe because there were effective risk assessments in place, and systems to keep them safe from abuse or harm. There were safe staff recruitment processes in place and there were sufficient numbers of staff to support people safely. Staff took appropriate precautions to ensure people were protected from the risk of acquired infections. People’s medicines were managed safely, and there was evidence of learning from incidents.

People’s needs had been assessed and they had care plans that took account of their individual needs, preferences, and choices. Staff had regular supervision and they had been trained to meet people’s individual needs effectively. The requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were being met, and staff understood their roles and responsibilities to seek people’s consent prior to care and support being provided. People had been supported to have enough to eat and drink to maintain their health and wellbeing. They were also supported to access healthcare services when required.

People were supported by caring, friendly and respectful staff. They were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives, and the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff regularly reviewed the care provided to people with their input to ensure that this continued to meet their individual needs in a person-centred way. The provider had an effective system to handle complaints and concerns. People were supported to pursue their hobbies and interests. Further work was necessary to ensure that people’s wishes about the kind of care they would like at the end of their lives were recorded in their care records.

The provider’s quality monitoring processes had been used effectively to drive improvements. People, relatives and staff we spoke with were happy with the quality of the service.