We inspected Sunrays on 12 August 2017, the inspection was announced. This was because the service provides respite and supported holidays for people with learning disabilities and is not occupied on a full time basis. We wanted to make sure the registered manager would be available to talk with us. The service is registered to provide accommodation and support for up to four people. At the time of the inspection no-one was staying at the service. This was the first time the service had been inspected.

There was 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.

The registered manager was also one of the two registered providers. Both took an active role in the running of the service on a day to day basis. The providers run another service fairly close to Sunrays and the two services had close links. Throughout the report we will refer to this service as the provider’s sister home. The sister home was often used as a base where people would meet up at the start and beginning of the day. This meant people were able to join in with activities taking place at that service if they wished to.

There were clear lines of responsibility in place. The registered manager was supported by an assistant manager and senior support workers. The assistant manager had oversight of the staff training schedule and shared responsibility for providing staff supervision.

Newly employed staff first worked at the provider’s sister home. As this was a busier service with a larger staff team this gave them an opportunity to spend a period of time shadowing more experienced staff. Sunrays was staffed by care workers who were experienced and had a good understanding of the organisation’s ethos and working practices. Before a new employee started working with the organisation pre-employment checks were carried out. This included Disclosure and Barring checks (DBS) to help ensure they were suitable to work in the caring sector. There were enough staff to support people to take part in their chosen activity and support them with any personal care.

Before arrival people and their carer’s were asked detailed questions about their support requirements. The registered manager used this information to decide whether they were able to meet the person’s needs. They considered the needs of all the guests when deciding whether to accept a booking. Information from the pre-booking process was used to develop a care plan if necessary, although many people brought an existing care plan with them. Any risks were identified and staff told us they felt they had all the information they needed to do their jobs effectively. Most of the people using Sunrays were return visitors who were familiar with the service and the staff team.

On arrival at the service staff explained the evacuation procedures and other housekeeping issues. People then spent time planning activities for the period of their stay. Staff encouraged people to try new pastimes and experiences as well as supporting them to find activities which reflected their preferences and interests.

On their return from trips out people spent time either in their room or one of the two available lounges. There was a range of DVDs and books available as well as computer games, board games and puzzles. People were provided with breakfast and an evening meal. A packed lunch was supplied for people to have on trips out if they wished. The food was varied and people’s individual dietary needs were catered for.

The provider acted in accordance with the requirements laid out in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Staff recognised and respected people’s ri