This inspection took place on the 10 January 2017 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of one inspector.

Shaf lodge is a five-bedded supported living service that offers 24 hours staffing support to people with mental health and mild learning disability. At the time of our inspection there were three people using the service. The focus of the service is to support people to maintain a healthy life style and this is achieved by the services’ commitment to provide a highly individualised support programme that promotes social and mental wellbeing.

The service has a registered manager. ‘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 a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.’

Suitable arrangements were in place to ensure that people received appropriate care and support to meet their needs. Staff knew the needs of the people they supported and they were treated with respect and dignity. People’s healthcare needs were well managed and they had access to a range of healthcare professionals. The management of medicines within the service ensured people’s safety and wellbeing.

People’s needs were met by sufficient numbers of staff. Suitable arrangements were in place to ensure that staff had been recruited safely and that they received opportunities for training and supervision. People were safeguarded from harm as suitable safeguarding arrangements were in place. Staff had received training in Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and had knowledge of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and how to apply these. The registered manager was aware of how and when to make a referral. People had sufficient amounts to eat and drink to ensure that their dietary and nutritional needs were being met.

People were provided with the opportunity to participate and engage in activities of their choice, which met their needs. Relatives and people who used the service knew how to make a complaint and we felt reassured that all complaints would be dealt with and resolved efficiently and in a timely manner.

The service had a number of ways of gathering people’s views, which included holding meetings with people, staff, and relatives. The registered manager carried out a number of quality monitoring audits to help ensure the service was running effectively and to help them make any improvements.