This inspection took place on 14 and 15 August 2018. It was an unannounced visit to the service.

We previously inspected the service on the 1 March 2017. That was a focused inspection to follow up on a previous breach of the regulations about staffing levels and deployment of staff. At the last inspection we found the service had met the breach of the regulation.

Shaftesbury Court (High Street)] is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The care home can accommodate up to 18 people, at the time of our inspection 16 people were living at the home. The accommodation is split into four flats which have four bedrooms, kitchen and lounge areas. There is a communal lounge and dining area on the ground floor. People had free access to the garden areas.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen. The care home was located within a small village location with access to a wide range of community facilities. This included, food shops, public houses, community centre and charity shops.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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.

We received positive feedback from people, their relatives and staff on their experience of the service. Comments included “I like living here,” “It is very good” and “I like living here I do.”

The care home benefitted from longstanding staff members. This enabled strong and well-established working relationships. It was clear that staff were fully aware of people’s likes and dislikes. People demonstrated they were able to make staff aware of their needs. This was through verbal and non-verbal communication.

The provider had processes in place to undertake pre-employment checks on staff to ensure they were suitable to work with people.

Staff were supported to develop their skills and knowledge through training. Systems were in place to monitor staff training to ensure they were equipped with up to date knowledge.

Staff were aware of the need to report any incidents and accidents. Lessons were learnt from incidents and accidents as there was a clear audit process in place.

People were supported to engage in meaningful activities and keep in contact with family and friends.

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

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

This inspection took place on 1 March 2017. It was an unannounced visit to the service.

Shaftesbury Court (High Street) is a care home for adults who have learning disabilities and or autism. It is registered to provide accommodation for 18 people. At the time of our inspection 16 people lived at Shaftesbury Court (High Street).

We previously inspected the service on 4 and 8 December 2015. The service was rated as good overall at the time. However we had concerns about staffing levels and how staff were deployed. We issued the provider with a requirement to improve. The provider sent us an action plan which outlined what changes the service had planned to improve staffing levels. This inspection was a focused visit to check what improvements had been made. We only looked at evidence to ask if the service was safe.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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.

Shaftesbury Court (High Street) accommodation is split into four sub flats. Each flat has individual bedrooms, which were personalised and homely.

We found improvements had been made regarding staffing levels. The deputy manager advised us changes had been made to staff contracted hours, which had helped the service to be more flexible with covering shifts. Staff confirmed there had been improvements in the number of staff on duty.

Potential risks to people had been assessed and measures were in place to minimise these. The home was well maintained and where required equipment and appliances were regularly serviced.

People were aware of who they could talk to if they were concerned about their safety. Staff were aware of how to recognise abuse and had responded appropriately when concerns had been raised.

People received their medicines when required and risk assessments were in place to ensure people received their prescribed medicines safely.

Staff were aware of when to report any accidents or incidents and the registered manager and provider monitored events within the home to help prevent future incidents.

This inspection took place on 04 and 08 December 2015. It was an unannounced visit to the service.

Shaftesbury Court (High Street) is a care home for adults who have learning disability and or autism. It is registered to provide accommodation for 18 people. At the time of our inspection 17 people lived at Shaftesbury Court (High Street).

We previously inspected the service on 28 January 2014. The service was meeting the requirements of the regulations at that time.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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.

Shaftesbury Court (High Street) accommodation is split into four sub flats. Each flat has individual bedrooms, which were personalised and homely. A lounge area and an open plan kitchen, dining area. Where possible people were supported to make their own drinks and snacks.

We found that there were not always enough staff on duty and deployed in a way that ensured safety and choice of activity.

Medicines were administered in a safe way and people received them when needed. However where required by law to record the number of control medicine in stock, we found this did not happen.

Staff had a good understanding of what constitutes abuse. People using the service had access to information on how to raise concerns about safety. Personal emergency evacuation plans were discussed with people at least three times a year.

Staff had a good understanding of the implications for them and their practice of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The MCA provides the legal framework to assess people’s capacity to make specific decisions at a given time. DoLS provides a process by which a person can be deprived of their liberty when they do not have the capacity to make certain decisions and there is no other way to look after them safely.

People living at Shaftesbury Court (High Street) were provided with easy read leaflets in a wide range of topics. Regular meetings were held with people living at the service and feedback was sought about how effective the service was.

We have made a recommendation about ensuring that national guidance on recording the amounts of controlled medicine is followed.

We found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of this report.