This inspection took place on 12 and 14 October 2016 and was announced. At the last inspection in December 2013 we found the provider was meeting the regulations we looked at.

The Fallowfield Project is a supported living service that provides supported living to men and women with a learning disability and/or a mental health diagnosis. The service has three houses, all in close proximity. The houses in total can accommodate up to twenty people. The service had a 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.

At this inspection people told us they felt safe living at the service and with the staff who supported them. Staff knew how to keep people safe and what to do if they witnessed any incidents that concerned them. Management plans were in place to reduce or eliminate the risk of harm and ensured people were not subject to unnecessary restrictions. Staffing arrangements enabled people to do the things they wanted to do. We have made a recommendation about the management of some medicines.

People were supported by staff who had the knowledge and skills to provide good care. People made their own decisions and staff provided support whenever they needed help. Systems were in place to help people stay healthy. Everyone was involved in menu planning, food shopping, preparing and cooking meals. People told us they got good support with their healthcare and attended appointments if they needed specialist support. Health action plans usually provided good information although some needed updating, which the registered manager said would be done straightaway.

People told us they were treated with dignity and respect. They were complimentary about the care they received and the staff who supported them. Staff knew people well and were confident everyone received good care.

People were involved in planning their care and the support they received met their preferences and needs. People’s support plans were personalised and identified what was important to them.

People enjoyed a range of person centred activities within the home and the community. People took responsibility for communal household tasks and their own daily living tasks such as laundering their clothes and cleaning their room. People told us they were comfortable talking to staff or management and would raise any concerns.

The service had good management and leadership. We received positive feedback from people who used the service and staff about the registered manager. People told us they felt listened to and were encouraged to put forward suggestions and ideas. The provider and management team at The Fallowfield Project monitored the service to make sure people were receiving safe and effective care.

We spoke with three people using the service and asked them to tell us if they liked living there. Some of their comments included; “The staff are fine, it’s alright here but I want to move on” and “Yes, it’s ok, I like it”.

Arrangements were in place to help ensure people developed and maintained community and relationship links.

Care records contained enough information to show how people were to be supported and cared for. They showed that people were involved in the making of decisions about their care and support.

An inspection of the care records showed that people had access to other health and social care services. Staff worked closely with other agencies so that people’s needs were effectively met. We were also made aware of the systems that were in place to make sure that information was passed on when a person's care was transferred to another service.

We saw that appropriate arrangements were in place to help safeguard people from abuse. Staff had received training in the protection of vulnerable adults and knew what to do if an allegation of abuse was made to them or if they suspected that abuse had occurred.

Arrangements were in place to ensure that people using the service were cared for and supported by enough skilled and experienced staff.

Regular monitoring of the services and facilities provided was in place to help protect people against the risks of inappropriate or unsafe care.

During the visit, we spoke with two people who use the service. They told us the care plans were explained to them by the staff and that they had signed the care and support plans to confirm their agreement.

The people we spoke with told us they were happy with the care they received. They told us the staff were friendly and supportive.

The people we spoke with told us they administered their own medication and that the staff regularly prompted them when their medication was due. They also told us they were happy with the staff and felt there were enough staff around when they needed them.

A supported living service is where people live in their own home and receive care and/or support in order to promote their independence. The support that people receive is often continuous and tailored to meet their individual needs. It aims to enable the person to be as independent as possible, and usually involves social support rather than medical care.

For the purposes of report writing, the people receiving a supportive living service will be referred to as tenants and the Clinical Nurse Manager as nurse.

We spoke to six of the tenants living in the three houses, which make up The Fallowfield Project.

One tenant told us: "It's been a good stepping stone for me. I enjoy living here, I feel respected and valued, the staff are great and my views are listened to."

In a different house, one tenant told us: "I am a volunteer in the local community and I hope to get paid employment soon, the staff here support you to find activities to do."

One tenant told us they felt: "Respected, liked and trusted, it’s a nice feeling after all I’ve been through."

Another tenant living in one of The Fallowfield Project houses said: “You can talk to staff whenever you need to, the manager, she's the boss like, she's great, things have really changed since she has been around-really great and the staff if you ask them anything and they don’t know they find out, you can’t ask for more really."

One tenant told us: “I didn't want to be in supported living and I wanted to go from hospital to a flat on my own but I'm glad now I took time to ‘convalesce’ here.”

One tenant described how they were assisted and supported by the care workers to find voluntary work: "The staff meet with me once a month on a one to one basis and they help me discus what I would like to do and they help me find ways to see if I can do it."

One tenant when asked about the supportive living service said: "The staff are all alright and they really know me now and what I like to do and not to do. I like living here."