This inspection took place on 24 September 2018. The previous inspection on 7 October 2015 found the service to be rated ‘good’.

This service provides care and support to people living in individual flats in one block, in a supported living setting, so that they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living.

Sarnes Court accommodates people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and mental health needs. At the time of our inspection 18 people were living at the project, and four of them were receiving a personal care service from the provider. The provision of personal care is regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

The service had a registered manager at the service. 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.

People told us they enjoyed living at the service and staff were kind to them and treated them with dignity and respect. Staff understood about safeguarding and their responsibilities to support vulnerable people. People were supported by staff who knew them well and understood their routines. The service ran activities for people to participate in if they chose. People told us they enjoyed these.

There were risk assessments in place to guide staff in caring for people; although some lacked detail. Care records were personalised and covered a comprehensive range of needs, although not all were fully up to date following recent changes in care needs

People were supported to be as independent as possible. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

Staff recruitment was safe and people told us they were glad the service used less agency staff in recent months. We could see that staff received regular supervision and training in key areas took place.

People were supported with medicines. We found minor issues with medicine administration records (MAR), but the provider could show us they were in the process of changing pharmacists so the MARs were more suitably laid out for staff working in a supported living scheme.

The communal areas of the service were clean and people were supported to maintain their flats, although responsibility lay with tenants and people chose how they received this support.

The registered manager was well regarded by the people living at the service and we could see the registered manager and provider undertook audits to monitor the quality of the care. We could see that learning took place following any incidents that arose.

This inspection took place on 7 October 2015. We told the service about this two days before the inspection to ensure that management were available.

Sarnes Court is registered to provide personal care services to people living at a supported living project. Services are provided to people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and mental health needs. At the time of our inspection 18 people were living at the project, and five of them were receiving a personal care service from the provider. There were three regular staff members employed through an external agency. At our last inspection in November 2013 the service was meeting the regulations inspected.

The service did not have a registered manager, however a manager was in place since April 2015, who was applying to register. 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.

We found that people lived in a safe and clean environment. Although people felt well supported by the staff at the service, they told us that they had found it difficult having so many staffing changes in recent months. Staffing numbers did not always meet people’s expectations, but we were told that these were in line with the service commissioned.

Staff received appropriate training, supervision and support for their roles. Most staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and there were systems in place to ensure that this was followed.

Staff knew the people they were supporting and provided a personalised service. Care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported. People spoke highly of the support staff provided including support to meet their cultural needs.

People were supported to eat and drink, and to attend health care appointments. Safe systems were in place for staff to support people to take their prescribed medicines.

People told us that the manager was accessible and approachable, and that they felt able to speak up about any areas for improvement. There were regular checks in place to review the quality of the service provided to people.