We undertook an announced inspection of Sanctuary Supported Living – Ealing Care Services on 20 June 2017. We gave the provider 24 hours’ notice because the location was a small supported living service and we wanted to make sure that the manager and staff would be available to assist with the inspection. The service was registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on 03 February 2016 and this was the first inspection of the service.

Sanctuary Supported Living – Ealing Care Services is part of Sanctuary Home Care Limited. The service provides supported living for up to seven adults with mental health needs. At the time of our inspection, there were six people living at the service. Each person had their individual self-contained flat equipped with a buzzer and intercom and shared the common areas of the house such as the kitchen, lounge and laundry room.

The service is required to have a registered manager and there was a registered manager in post 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The provider had systems and processes in place to protect people from the risk of harm whilst giving them the chance to take positive risks.

There were enough staff on duty to meet people’s needs and there were contingency plans in the event of staff absence to ensure people’s safety. Staff had received training in safeguarding adults and this was updated regularly. There was a safeguarding policy and procedures in place.

Effective systems were in place to ensure the safe management of people’s prescribed medicines and staff had received training in the administration of medicines.

The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and ensured that areas for improvements were identified and addressed.

Staff had undertaken training in the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and were aware of its principles. Staff told us and we saw that people were given choices and the opportunities to make decisions, and records were signed by people to indicate that consent was obtained.

People’s nutritional needs were being met. People budgeted, shopped for their food and cooked their own meals. Staff were available to support people with their meals where this has been identified as part of their care plan.

Staff received effective training, supervision and appraisal. The registered manager sought guidance and support from other healthcare professionals and kept themselves informed of important developments within the social care sector in order to cascade information to staff, thus ensuring that the staff team was well informed and trained to deliver effective support to people.

Staff were caring and treated people with dignity and respect and in a way that took account of their diversity, values and human rights. Support plans were in place and people had their needs assessed. Care records contained detailed information and reflected the needs and wishes of the individual so staff had the information they required to meet people’s needs.

The registered manager had achieved recognition locally and abroad for their knowledge and their delivery of anxiety workshops and these had helped improve the support given to people with mental health needs.

People, staff and stakeholders told us the registered manager and staff were supportive and professional. The registered manager said they encouraged an open and transparent culture within the service. The service supported people to raise concerns and used feedback to make improvements where needed.

There were regular meetings for staff, senior staff and people using the service which encouraged openness and the sharing of information.