This inspection took place from 26 July to 8 August 2018. We gave the provider short notice of our inspection due to the nature of the service. This was so the registered manager could be available to assist us with our inspection.

This service provides care and support to 27 people living in various ‘supported living’ settings, which means that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. All of the people supported are living with either a learning disability and Autism Spectrum Disorders. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

The service had a manager who has been registered with CQC since May 2016. A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC to manage the service. Like 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 last inspected the service in October 2015 and rated the service as Good overall. Since then we found that the provider and registered manager had closely considered the service and determined areas that they could develop further. We found that they had constantly challenged themselves and staff to develop a continuous improvement cycle so all worked to make sure people achieved the best possible outcomes.

We found the provider had instilled a positive culture within the service which meant people were given every opportunity to develop their skills and were supported through challenging situations. The provider aimed to go the extra mile to support people to engage fully with the community and lead ordinary lives, we saw copious amounts of evidence confirming this was the case. Staff were supporting people to lead lives that were enriched and full of opportunities. These experiences enhance their and other people's lives and shared the same values and principles, as the provider. For instance, people were encouraged and supported to be volunteers at the Alan Shearer Centre, which is a specialist recreational, sensory and social resource for disabled people of all ages. One person had been given an award by the Alan Shearer foundation for their services to the public, which was usually awarded to celebrities.

Staff were totally committed to delivering a service which improved the lives of the people who use the service in fulfilling and creative ways. Their drive and passion had created an exceptionally dynamic and vibrant service. Staff focused fully on the goals and aspirations of the people who used it. People told us the service provided care and support that was exceptional. They discussed how staff had supported them to develop their independent living skills and lead ordinary lives. The service was proactive in providing people with a range of information to assist them to make decisions about their health and wellbeing. Staff actively supported people to engage in community activities and seek meaningful occupation. Some of the people told us how staff had actively supported them to find paid and voluntary work.

The service's visions and values promoted people's rights to make choices and live a dignified and fulfilled life. This was reflected in the care and support that people received. People were supported to be as independent as possible and could access advocacy services if needed. Procedures were in place to investigate and respond to complaints.

We saw that staff were recruited safely and were given appropriate training before they commenced employment. Staff told us they received regular supervision and annual appraisals. Staff were respected within the organisation and were provided with a comprehensive range of training. We found staff were consistently striving for excellence and the provider su

We spoke to six people who used the service and they told us they were happy with the service provided, that they felt safe and described the way they were treated as ‘with care and respect’. People who used the service also said staff spoke to them well and we observed that staff responded to questions and queries, promptly and politely.

People who used the service were aware that they had a care plan and also confirmed that any changes in their care had been discussed with them.

People we spoke with said they had no complaints and were confident that staff would address any concerns as soon as possible. They confirmed that they had been given a copy of the complaints procedure and were confident that any issues would be addressed promptly.

They also said they knew who to go to if they had any issues to discuss.

The inspection took place on 6, 7 and 12 October 2015 and was announced. We had last inspected St Cuthberts Care Supported Living in September 2013. At that inspection we found the service was meeting the legal requirements in force at the time.

St Cuthberts Care Supported Living provides personal care and support to people with learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection services were provided to 27 people who lived in shared houses with support.

The service had a manager in post who was applying to become the 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 legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

We found that people using the service were safely cared for and risks to their well-being were appropriately managed. Robust procedures were followed for safeguarding people against the risk of abuse and handling personal finances. The service promoted people’s understanding of their rights and staff had a good awareness of their responsibilities in protecting people from harm.

New staff were thoroughly checked and vetted to ensure they were suitable to be employed. Each person had a dedicated staff team that enabled them to receive consistent care and support. Staff were given training relevant to the needs of the people they cared for and were supervised in their roles.

Suitable arrangements had been made to make sure people received their medicines safely. Staff provided people with support in meeting their health care and nutritional needs to maintain their welfare.

People were consulted and made choices about the ways their care and support was provided. Where people were unable to make important decisions, the service upheld their rights under mental capacity law.

People were happy with their care and had formed good relationships with the staff. Relatives felt that the staff were caring, treated people with respect and helped them to develop independent living skills. The service encouraged people to express their views and be fully involved in their care planning.

Detailed support plans were in place which reflected the person-centred care which people received. People led active lives, engaging in activities they enjoyed and taking part in their community. There were clear systems to seek feedback from people and take action on any complaints about the service.

The service had an open culture and management and staff worked inclusively with people, their families and other professionals. The manager was supportive and provided good leadership and direction to the staff team. The management were pro-active in ensuring that standards were regularly monitored and were committed to developing the quality of the service.