The Tidings provides accommodation and personal care support for up to two people with learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were two people living at the service.

At our last inspection in June 2015 this service was rated Good. At this unannounced inspection we found the overall rating for this service remained Good.

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. The manager registered for this service is also registered for two other services local, nearby care services.

Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare. Risks to people’s health, welfare and safety had been assessed and guidance provided for staff with recorded action they should take to mitigate these risks.

People were cared for safely by staff who had been recruited and employed after appropriate checks had been completed. People’s needs were met by sufficient numbers of staff.

There were systems in place to ensure that staff were trained, regularly competency assessed to ensure that people received their medicines as prescribed. Medicines were stored safely and appropriate records of administration maintained.

Staff were provided with training in Safeguarding Adults from abuse. The registered manager had been proactive in reporting safeguarding concerns to the local safeguarding authority. Staff were aware of the provider's whistleblowing policy. This is a policy which guides staff in how to report concerns about poor practice within their organisation and to local safeguarding authorities.

Staff were provided with training in understanding their roles and responsibilities with regards to the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). People’s capacity to make decisions about their everyday lives had been assessed and their consent was considered in the planning and provision of their care and support.

The staff team were very caring and had built strong relationships with people who used the service. Staff were able to demonstrate that they knew people well and people told us they were treated with dignity and respect. 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 had sufficient amounts to eat and drink to ensure that their dietary and nutrition needs were met. People were supported to maintain good health and had access to external health care professionals when required. This included health screening and access to learning disability nurses, GPs, chiropodists and dentists.

People were provided with the opportunity to participate in personalised, meaningful activities which interested them, according to their assessed needs, wishes and preferences. People were encouraged to develop and maintain as much independence as possible. People had access to annual holidays and opportunities to be integrated into the local community.

The provider had a system in place to respond to suggestions, concerns and complaints. The service had a number of ways of gathering people’s views including; regular meetings and satisfaction surveys.

Staff understood their roles and responsibilities and were well supported by the management of the service. There was an open culture where people felt comfortable to air their views and, provide honest feedback.

The registered manager was a visible presence in the service and carried out a number of quality and safety monitoring audits to help ensure the service was running effectively and to plan for improvement of

The inspection took place on 4 June 2015 and was unannounced.

The service provides care and support to two people with learning disabilities.

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.

Staff were trained in safeguarding people from abuse and systems were in place to protect people from all forms of abuse including financial. Staff understood their responsibilities to report any safeguarding concerns they may have.

Risks to people and staff were assessed and action taken to minimise these risks. People were encouraged to remain as independent as possible and any risks related to this were assessed.

Staffing levels meant that people’s needs were met. Recruitment procedures were designed to ensure that staff were suitable for this type of work and checks were carried out before people started work to make sure they were safe to work in this setting. New staff were recruited before posts were vacant.

Medicines were administered safely and records related to medicines were accurately completed.

Training was provided for staff to help them carry out their roles and increase their knowledge of the healthcare conditions of the people they were supporting and caring for.

People gave their consent before care and treatment was provided. Staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2015 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The MCA and DoLS ensure that, where people lack capacity to make decisions for themselves, decisions are made in their best interests according to a structured process. Where people’s liberty needs to be restricted for their own safety, this must done in accordance with legal requirements. People’s capacity to give consent had been assessed and decisions had been taken in line with legal requirements.

People were supported with their eating and drinking needs and staff helped people to maintain good health by supporting them with their day to day healthcare needs.

Staff were very caring and treated people respectfully making sure their dignity was maintained. Staff were positive about the job they did and enjoyed the relationships they had built with the people they were supporting and caring for.

People were involved in planning and reviewing their care and were encouraged to provide feedback on the service.

No formal complaints had been made but informal issues were dealt with appropriately and to people’s satisfaction.

Staff understood their roles and were well supported by the management of the service. The service had an open culture and people felt comfortable giving feedback and helping to direct the way the service was run. People were well integrated into their local community.

Quality assurance systems were in place and audits were carried out regularly to monitor the delivery of the service. These audits did not monitor the hours staff worked and some staff were working excessive hours which could place people who used the service and staff at risk.

The service supported two people over a 24 hour period. We spoke with one of the people who used the service and they told us that they were happy and were able to make their own choices about how they lived their life. They told us that the staff supported them and kept them healthy and safe. They told us "If I was not feeling well one of the staff would take me to the doctor and look after me". We saw that people attended a variety of daytime activities. One person said "I like going to the dance class where you swing yourself round!"

We found that care plans were centred on people's needs and preferences and that they assessed and minimised any associated risks. We found that the service provided a variety of fresh food and supported people to eat a balanced diet and manage their health conditions. The service had systems in place to support people to manage their money and keep them safe from financial abuse.

We found that the premises was maintained to a reasonable standard and provided a safe and suitable environment for the people who lived there.

We saw that staff were trained to administer medicines safely and that records related to medicines were organised and well maintained. We spoke with the member of staff on duty and the registered manager and looked at staff records and rotas. We found that staff were appropriately skilled and experienced and we observed them providing care and support in a sensitive and respectful manner.

We saw two people during our visit. We were able to speak with one person. We observed people engaged in daily activities with staff members supervising and helping them to engage in activities appropriate for each individual's ability. We sat with one person using the service and observed that they felt relaxed and calm for the greater part of the time we were with them. We saw another person who at times became more agitated and distressed, but we noted that staff were well able to manage any changes in behaviour and to support people to feel comfortable again.

We observed one person in the service’s kitchen area completing a puzzle. The one person we spoke to told us they were happy with the service, they liked their room and were able to take part in activities when they wished.

We found the premises did not provide a safe and secure environment for those who lived at the service. This was because the back gate was broken and had been for sometime. This meant that people who lived at the service were at risk of leaving the premises without the knowledge of staff.

People with whom we spoke told us that they liked living at The Tidings. They told us that the staff understood their needs well and helped them when they were worried or upset. They also told us that they felt safe living at The Tidings and always felt that they could speak to the staff about anything.