This was an announced inspection carried out on the 11 May 2017.

Ridgemoor provides accommodation and personal care for up to eight adults with physical and or learning disabilities. The home consists of two bungalows accommodating four people each, which is located within a residential housing estate in Leominister. At the time our inspection, there were eight people using the service.

The provider registered the service with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on 29 July 2016, and had therefore not been previously inspected.

At the time of the inspection there was a registered manager in place at Ridgemoor. 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. The registered manager was present throughout the inspection visit.

Care plans for people had not been consistently reviewed or updated to reflect people’s current needs, since the new provider had started. Some care plans had not been updated in almost two years.

Most relatives told us the provider had not involved them in decisions about the care and support their family members' received. Whilst they had been involved in annual reviews in the past, these had not taken place for several years. A number of relatives we spoke with told us that they were not in regular contact with staff and did not feel consulted about their relative’s care.

The registered manager and two deputy managers divided their time and responsibility between two homes operated by the provider. Whilst most staff spoke positively about the contribution made by the management team, others complained they had no confidence in the management. They believed management focused their time on the other home, and were difficult to contact as a result. They also felt communication was poor and felt unsupported.

Staff knew how to recognise and report abuse to the provider. Systems were in place to protect people who lived at the home by ensuring appropriate referrals were made and action taken to keep people safe.

The provider had appropriate recruitment procedures in place, which ensured staff were suitable to support people who used the service.

The risks connected with people's care and support needs had been individually assessed.

People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff to safely meet their needs.

People were supported safely with their medicines. Only staff who had received training and been assessed as competent were able to support people with their medicines.

Staff had received training to give them the skills and knowledge they needed to meet people's needs. These skills were kept up to date through regular training.

Staff respected people's right to make their own decisions and supported them to do so.

Staff adopted a caring and compassionate approach towards their work with people. Staff treated people in a dignified and respectful manner. People were encouraged to make choices and be independent.

Relatives told us that staff supported their family members to pursue activities and ensured people were mentally stimulated.

There was a system in place to capture and respond to complaints and feedback.

The provider had systems in place which assessed and monitored the quality of care and support staff provided at the home.