This inspection took place on 10, 12 and 15 May 2017 and the first day was announced. The other days were spent contacting people and staff to gain their views on the service. This was the first inspection of the service since they were registered with the Care Quality Commission in April 2016.

The Short Term Intervention Service is one of a range of services offered by Manchester Council. The service aims to support adults with a learning disability in gaining confidence and skills to manage practical daily tasks, to enable them to live as independently as possible. Short term intervention is a short term service which may be provided for up to twelve weeks, although some people received a service in excess of this timescale. As well as promoting independence, the service also provides a period of assessment to identify any other services people may require in the longer term.

The Short Term Intervention Service provides a range of services to people in their own homes, including personal care. This is a short term service aimed at maximising people’s independence for the time they receive support. At the time of our inspection 16 people were receiving a service and there were two new referrals into the service.

There was 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People who used the service told us they felt safe with the staff and the care they were provided with. Staff had a good understanding of possible indicators of abuse and told us action they would take should they become aware of any concerns. Appropriate recruitment procedures were in place although the service had not needed to recruit new staff for some time.

Risk assessments were formulated around aspects of support in the home, for example when administering medicines, moving and handling and communication. We also saw a detailed risk assessment in place for managing an individual’s behaviour within a community setting. The service carried out a hazard risk assessment, based on risks presented by the person’s home environment.

There were procedures for staff to follow should an emergency arise outside of normal working hours. The service had out of hours arrangements and staff were instructed to contact the reablement out of hour’s management team.

Medicines administration refresher training was overdue for three employees. The registered manager produced evidence to show that this training had been arranged and all three staff were attending refresher training during dates in mid May 2017.

The training matrix indicated that staff covered aspects of training relevant to the support worker role, for example in safeguarding, medicines administration, infection control, health and safety, food hygiene, personal safety plus a practical element of training in moving and handling.

There were policies and procedures in place in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff had received training on the Mental Capacity Act (2005), and staff were able to describe how they supported people in a way which followed the principles of this legislation.

We found people were cared for, or supported by, appropriately trained staff. People told us that the majority of staff were caring and staff always stayed the agreed length of time.

People were supported to regain and maintain their independence wherever possible. Staff were able to describe how they supported and encouraged people to complete tasks as much as they could for themselves. Staff recognised that reskilling people was the whole purpose of the service and provided help and support accordingly.

People were treated with dignity and respect whilst receiving care.