This inspection took place on 5 January 2017 and was unannounced. The previous inspection was carried out in October 2013 and no concerns were identified.

Newlands is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 21 people who have a learning disability and who need support with their personal care. Newlands is on the outskirts of Canterbury. Accommodation is provided over two levels, there were 19 people living at the service at the time of inspection and each had their own personalised bedroom.

The service had a registered manager, who was present throughout the 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.

The feedback we received from people, relatives and professionals was wholly positive. We heard about standards of care which significantly improved the quality of people's lives and gave their families peace of mind. We observed warm, caring attitudes from a motivated staff team who worked consistently well together to provide the best possible care and support for people.

People were protected from the risk of abuse. Staff had received safeguarding training. They were aware of how to recognise and report safeguarding concerns. Staff knew about the whistle blowing policy and were confident they could raise any concerns with the provider or outside agencies if needed.

Staff followed correct and appropriate procedures in the storage and dispensing of medicines. People were supported in a safe environment and risks identified for people were managed in a way that enabled people to live as independent a life as possible. People were supported to maintain good health and attended appointments and check-ups. Health needs were kept under review and appropriate referrals were made when required.

Equipment and premises received regular checks and servicing in order to ensure it was safe. The registered manager monitored incidents and accidents to make sure the care provided was safe. Emergency plans were in place so if an emergency happened, like a fire, the staff knew what to do.

A system to recruit new staff was in place. This was to make sure that the staff employed to support people were fit to do so. There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty to make sure people were safe and received the care and support that they needed.

Staff had completed induction training when they first started to work at the service. Staff were supported during their induction, monitored and assessed to check that they had attained the right skills and knowledge to be able to care for, support and meet people’s needs. There were staff meetings, so staff could discuss any issues and share new ideas with their colleagues, to improve people’s care and lives.

The Care Quality Commission is required by law to monitor the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. The registered manager and staff showed that they understood their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Some people at the service had been assessed as lacking mental capacity to make complex decisions about their care and welfare. At the time of the inspection the registered manager had applied for DoLS authorisations for people who were at risk of having their liberty restricted.

People received care and support that was planned specifically to their individual needs. The care and support needs of each person were different, and each person’s care plan was personal to them. People had detailed care plans, risk assessments and guidance in place to help staff to support them in an individual way. These were reviewed with people and their relatives to make sure they continued to have the support they n

People who used the service, who could told us that they enjoyed living at the home. One person told us “love it here”. A relative we spoke to told us “There is a real family atmosphere and we can visit our relative any time we like. The people who live here are included in everything and the staff really do seem to love their jobs”.

A health professional we spoke to told us “The care and support people receive here is excellent. The home is very proactive in meeting people’s health needs and gaining assessments where necessary. They have no problem in pursuing things when they are not happy about the health care and treatments people have experienced”. Another professional we spoke to told us. "People experience a very good quality of care here and the home has built up good relationships with health and social care authorities ”.

We used our SOFI (Short Observational Framework for Inspection) tool. The SOFI tool allowed us to spend time watching how staff and people who used the service interacted and helped us record how people spent their time and whether they had positive experiences. This included looking at the support that was given to them by the staff. We observed that all interactions between staff and the people who used the service were positive.

We saw that the service followed legal requirements around issues of consent and that people who used the service were supported to make choices on a daily basis.

People, who could communicate verbally, told us that they liked living at the home and that they were happy whilst, relatives told us they were pleased with the service. One person said "My relative has a very high level of need and I am very happy with their care. The owner and the manager always make me feel welcome and make me feel like I am part of one big family”. A representative for a person who used the service said “People get exceptional care here. Staff go the extra mile and are always cheerful and enthusiastic. They create an atmosphere where nothing is too much trouble.”

We saw that there were lots of activities on offer at the home and although people were encouraged to join in, it was readily accepted if they chose not too. We saw that people were supported to make choices about what they would like to eat, and what they would like to do. In addition, we saw that people were encouraged to have a voice and that they were respected and listened too. We found that staff knew each individual person who uses the service well and saw that they interacted with people positively and supportively.

The people that use the service at Newlands have learning difficulties and therefore not everyone was able to tell us about their experiences.

People said they liked living at Newlands. They said they had visited the home before admission and been involved in discussions about the help they needed and their preferred day to day routines. People said there were different activities to do and that they could join in with activities if they wanted to. They said they were happy with the support they received, that the staff looked after them well. People said they liked the food, there was a choice of menu and that they chose where to eat. They said that the home was always kept clean and smelled fresh. People said they knew who to speak to should they have any concerns, but said they had no complaints.