About the service: Sutton Court is a residential care home for people living with a learning disability and/or autism and other complex needs. It is registered to provide personal and nursing care for up to 10 people; at the time of inspection the home was full. Sutton Court is a large, detached building close to the centre of Worthing. Accommodation is provided over two floors and communal areas include a sitting room, dining room and kitchen. People have their own rooms and access to gardens at the rear of the home.

People’s experience of using this service: We observed people were comfortable in their surroundings and felt safe and happy. One person spoke with us at length about their life at the home and how they spent their time. The person was relaxed and confident to have a conversation with us and took pleasure in showing us their room. Throughout the inspection, we observed positive interactions between people and staff, underpinned with banter and laughter. Staff spent time with people and listened patiently to any concerns they might have. People were treated with dignity and respect and had the privacy they required.

People were safe and were supported by staff who were trained to recognise the signs of any potential abuse. Staff had been trained in safeguarding and knew what action to take if they had any concerns about people’s safety. People’s risks were identified and assessed appropriately. Any accidents or incidents were recorded and lessons learned to prevent any reoccurrence. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs, to enable them to engage with activities outside the home and to attend health appointments. People were supported by staff whose suitability was checked at recruitment. People’s medicines were managed safely.

Before they came to live at the home, people’s needs were fully assessed to ensure that staff could meet their needs appropriately. Staff completed training and were experienced in their roles to provide effective care to people. Staff received regular supervisions and an annual appraisal. People were encouraged with a healthy diet and contributed to the planning of menus. People had access to a range of healthcare professionals and services. 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.

People received personalised care that was tailored to meet their individual needs, preferences and choices. Care plans were detailed in the information and guidance provided to staff. Staff encouraged people in decisions relating to their care and in planning long and short-term goals. People chose their keyworker who supported them to make choices and to plan the activities they wanted to do. The provider had an accessible complaints policy so people understood how to make a complaint. No complaints had been received. No-one living at the home required end of life care at the time of the inspection.

People at the home knew the registered manager and the home manager well. People were comfortable in the company of the managers and support staff. Staff felt supported by the provider and the managers and felt that any suggestions would be listened to. People, relatives and staff felt the home was well run. They were asked for their feedback about the home through surveys and at meetings. Suggestions were welcomed and used to drive improvement as needed. A range of quality assurance systems measured and monitored the quality of care and the service overall, which was of a good standard.

This service met the characteristics of Good in all areas. More information is in the ‘Detailed Findings’ below.

Rating at the last inspection: Good. The last inspection report was published on 5 July 2016.

Why we inspected: This was a planned comprehensive inspection that was scheduled to take place in line with CQC sc

This inspection took place on 11 and 13 May 2016 and was unannounced. The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Sutton Court provides support and accommodation for up to 10 adults with a learning disability or autism spectrum disorder.

A registered manager was in post when we visited. 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 we spoke with told us they felt safe. They knew what to do if they had concerns about their treatment or if they wished to complain. Staff confirmed they had been trained in how to identify and report any incidents of abuse they may witness.

Any potential risks to individual people had been identified and appropriately managed.

There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty with the necessary skills and experience to meet people’s needs.

People’s medicines had been administered and managed safely.

The registered manager and staff understood their role in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and how the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) should be put into practice. These safeguards protect the rights of people by ensuring, if there are any restrictions to their freedom and liberty, these have been authorised by the local authority as being required to protect the person from harm.

People were provided with support to access health care services in order to meet their needs.

Positive, caring relationships had been developed with staff to ensure people received the support they needed. They were encouraged to express their views and to be actively involved in making decisions about the support they received to maintain the lifestyle they have chosen.

The culture of the service was open, transparent and supportive. People and their relatives were encouraged to express their views and make suggestions so they may be used by the provider to make improvements.

There were ten people living at the home at the time of the inspection. During our visit we observed staff talking to people with respect and compassion and assisting them in making choices. We saw people undertaking activities and looking forward to being taken to them.

We read in care records that every person had a personalised care and support plan that was suitable to their needs and reviewed regularly and that people were involved with these. We saw that there were regular community meetings where people's views were listened to and valued. Through observation we saw people being offered choice as to what they wanted to do and how their room ware decorated. We saw that regular audits of the service were completed by the provider ensuring that people who used the service benefited from a service that constantly monitored its quality of care provided.

Staff told us that they felt they had adequate training and were well supported in order to carry out their role and to meet the needs of the people in the home. We found that safeguarding training had been received by all staff and that their responsibility was well understood.

We spoke with three people who lived in the home and observed others being supported. People told us they liked living in the home and felt the staff supported them. People told us they were able to do the activities they enjoyed and felt safe.

We found that people's care had been planned and implemented in line with their needs and preferences. People's care was discussed with them and consent was obtained. People's opinions and feedback were sought in order to continuously improve the service.

People told us they felt safe living at the home. Risks to people were adequately addressed and we found that people were safe from the risk of abuse and neglect. Staff had received appropriate training to keep people safe and well supported. Staff told us they were supported to carry out their roles safely and to a good standard.

We found that records were kept updated. People's care records were secure but were accessible to staff who needed them to maintain a record of people's care.