Sanctuary Supported Living (Red Coat Close) is located in Hereford, Herefordshire. The service is registered to provide personal care for people with autistic spectrum disorders, sensory impairments, physical disabilities, learning disabilities and mental health conditions. People live in their own flats and receive a mixture of support from both Sanctuary staff and from external care providers, depending on the requirements of their care package. On the day of our inspection, there were 11 tenants living at the service.

The inspection took place on 8 May 2017 and was announced.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered providers and registered managers 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 involved in decisions about how to keep themselves safe. People had received external training and guidance in areas such as personal safety, fire awareness and protection from harm and abuse. People felt able to report any matters of concern to staff and to the relevant authorities.

People felt safe and secure in their flats, and in the main building itself.

People felt there were enough staffing hours available to provide them with the support they needed. People's support hours could increase or decrease, according to need.

Staff took responsibility for their own learning and undertook additional training to enable them to support people and understand their diverse needs. People received help in preparing meals and were encouraged to eat a varied and healthy diet.

People had access to a range of health professionals, and staff understood that health encompassed people's physical as well and emotional health.

People enjoyed positive relationships with staff. Staff helped people to improve relationships with their neighbours, and helped people to see things from the perspective of others.

Where people were unable to communicate their views, or lacked the confidence to do so, staff advocated on their behalf. People were guided on how to treat each other with respect, and to respect each other's privacy.

People benefited from a flexible service. People's support packages were tailored around their individual wants, needs and preferences.

People enjoyed varied and active lives, and were able to pursue their individual hobbies and interests. Complaints, comments, suggestions and feedback were captured and responded to.

There was a positive atmosphere in the service, in which people, staff and relatives felt listened to and valued. Links with the local community had been established for the benefit of people living at Red Coat Close. People's views were sought on decisions affecting the day-to-day running of the service, and these were used to inform decisions.

The registered manager and provider routinely monitored the quality of care provided to people to ensure standards were maintained.