The Willows is a care home registered for six people who have a learning disability. The home is situated close to Cleveleys town centre. There are two floors of the home available for people and it comprises of four single and one double room. En- suite facilities are provided and in addition, bathrooms are available on both floors. At the time of the inspection there were six people who lived at the home.

At the last inspection carried out in in March 2016 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found evidence continued to support the rating of ‘Good’. There was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

There was a registered manager in place. 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.

This inspection visit took place on 30th August 2018 and was announced.

We observed many examples of staff being sensitive, respectful and caring to people they supported. They were also attentive and kind. This was confirmed by our observations and relatives and people who lived at the home we spoke with. A relative said, “A great home with super caring staff.”

Procedures were in place to record safeguarding concerns, accidents and incidents and take necessary action as required. Staff had received safeguarding training and understood their responsibilities to report unsafe care or abusive practices.

People who lived at The Willows received their medicines as required. Care records we looked at contained a medicines care plan and risk assessment to inform staff about medication details for each individual. Training was provided for staff to ensure they had the competency to administer medicines.

The registered manager ensured there was sufficient staffing levels in place to provide support people required. People had one to one support to enable them to pursue activities of their choice. One person who lived at the home said, “I like going out with [staff member] on our own.”

Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of harm to people during the delivery of their care and when people were out in the community. These had been kept under review and were relevant to the care provided.

Staff had been recruited safely, appropriately trained and supported. They had skills, knowledge and experience required to support people to follow their interests and provide care they needed.

The service had safe infection control procedures in place and staff had received infection control training to support them in their role.

Meal times were relaxed and organised around people’s individual daily routines. We saw people had access to the kitchen to make snacks and drinks as they wished. People were able to choose what they wanted to eat and prepare their own meals with staff support.

The layout of the premises was appropriate for the care they provided. We found facilities and equipment had been serviced and maintained as required to ensure the home was a safe place for people to live.

There was an emphasis on promoting dignity, respect and compassion for people who lived at the home. People told us staff treated them as individuals and were respectful of their privacy.

People had been 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.

The registered manager used a variety of methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service. These included, staff and ‘resident’ meeting

This was an announced inspection visit carried out on 02 March 2016. The reason the inspection visit was announced was to ensure people were available on the day of our visit. Therefore we gave the service 24 hours’ notice.

This is a care home registered for 6 people who have a learning disability. The home is situated close to Cleveleys town centre. There are two floors of the home available for people and it comprises of four single and one double room. En- suite facilities are provided and in addition, bathrooms are available on both floors. At the time of the inspection visit six people lived at the home.

There was a registered manager in place. 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.

This was the first inspection since the service changed their registration status with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

During this inspection people were kept safe and free from harm. There were appropriate numbers of staff employed to meet people’s needs and provide a flexible service. No new staff had been recruited since the new registration of the location. However systems were in place to ensure suitable staff would be employed when required.

We observed people’s medicines were dispensed in a safe manner and they received their medicines on time. Staff had received related training to ensure medicines were administered correctly by knowledgeable staff.

People were supported to eat their meals where they chose and were offered a variety of meal options. Comments about the food were all positive and included, “Love the meals, same as before you know I love curry.”

Risk assessments and other documentation, such as weight charts, were in place to protect individuals from the risk of malnutrition.

Staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. The registered manager discussed the applications which had been authorised and the restrictions in place to make sure people were safe. We saw staff were working within the law to support people who may lack capacity to make their own decisions.

Care records for people who lived at the home were personalised to each person’s needs and requirements. Staff regularly completed assessments of people’s needs. These were reviewed and updated.

People were encouraged to follow their ambitions and individual interests within the community. They included voluntary work, involvement in local adult youth clubs and trips to local areas that people wished to go to.

People who lived at the home were encouraged and supported to maintain relationships with their friends and family members. At the time of our visit two relatives were visiting. One said, “We are always made welcome here.”

The registered manager used a variety of methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service. These included annual satisfaction surveys and regular auditing of the service to monitor the quality of care being provided.