Sunnyborough is a residential care home for 19 adults with a learning disability and/or autistic spectrum disorder. There were 18 people living at the service on the day of inspection. The house is purpose built over two floors. Sunnyborough is one of ten locations registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) by the provider Millennium Care Services Limited.

We last inspected the service in November 2014 and rated the service as ‘Good.’ At this inspection we found the service remained ‘Good’ and met all the fundamental standards we inspected against.

Staff were knowledgeable about what action they should take if abuse was suspected and had clear policies and procedures to follow. The local authority safeguarding team informed us that were no on-going safeguarding matters regarding the service.

Checks and tests had been carried out to ensure that the premises were safe. People could choose how they wished their bedrooms to be decorated and furnished.

Recruitment checks were robust and there were sufficient numbers of staff deployed to meet people’s needs. Records confirmed that training was appropriate to people's roles and staff were suitably skilled. Staff were supported though supervision and appraisals.

People's nutritional needs were monitored and their special diets catered for. People were supported to access healthcare services when required. Medicines were managed safely.

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.

We observed positive interactions between staff and people who lived at the service. Staff promoted people's privacy and dignity.

Care plans were in place which detailed the care and support to be provided for people. People were involved in their care and support and had the freedom to choose their every day activities.

There was a complaints procedure in place. Complaints had been dealt with in line with the service policy.

Audits were carried out to monitor all aspects of the service and action plans developed which highlighted areas for improvement. Staff were very positive in their comments about the registered manager. They said they enjoyed working at the service and felt supported.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

This inspection was unannounced and took place on 6 November 2014. At our last inspection we found breaches in regulations relating to the care and welfare of people and how the service assessed and monitored the quality of the service. At this inspection we found that the required improvements had been made.

Sunnyborough is registered to provide personal care and accommodation for up to 19 adults aged 18-65 with a learning disability. There were 10 people living there on the day of the inspection.

Sunnybrough is a purpose built two storey detached property built around a central quadrangle outside space. The service is split into three defined units. Staff are on duty 24 hours a day and people are supported to develop practical skills to help them live as independently as possible

At the time of the visit a manager had recently been appointed and had applied to the commission to be the registered manager. They have since been registered. 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.

The service was safe. The policies and procedures for the recruitment of staff helped ensure only suitable people were recruited to work with vulnerable people. People who used the service were included in the interview process and their views were taken into consideration when appointing new staff.

Staff had received a variety of training to assist them to carry out their roles. This included training with regard to safeguarding adults and mandatory health and safety training.

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of the issues regarding safeguarding adults and they understood the action to take if they suspected abuse. Staff also talked with us about the specialist training they had completed to make sure they were able to meet people’s individual needs. For example, supporting people with autism.

From our observations and discussions we saw staff knew people well and had developed good relationships. We saw staff interacting with people sensitively and enjoying light hearted banter.

The service was well led. Staff acknowledged that the service had been through a difficult period but all appreciated the skills and experience the acting manager had brought to the service. They said they felt well supported and clear about their roles and responsibilities. The new manager had already worked for the provider; from our discussions it was evident they held the same values and vision for the service to develop.

There were effective quality assurance systems in place to monitor the service.

We brought forward a scheduled inspection to review concerns relating to the safety and wellbeing of people who used the service received by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

At the time of our inspection there were seven people living in Sunnyborough. During our visit we spoke with the acting manager; and two senior managers from Millennium Care Services. The managers acknowledged the service had experienced difficulties in recent weeks as they had uncovered issues relating to the management of medication and clients monies. They told us they had reported the concerns to other appropriate agencies. They carried out internal investigations into the concerns which resulted in disciplinary procedures being followed for the registered manager and two senior staff members. At the time of the inspection, the registered manager was no longer in post and the home was being managed by a registered manager from another Millennium Care Services home.

We spoke with three people who lived in the home who said they were happy living in the home, and said they felt safe.

The staff we spoke with were aware there had been a number of changes within the service due to the concerns identified. Staff told us there were still a number of areas that required more work, including updating people’s care records. Staff said morale was much better within the home for both staff and people who lived there.