Vibrance 138 All Saints Road is a respite care service providing short-term accommodation and personal care for people with learning disabilities and/or autism. It can accommodate up to six people at a time. At the time of our visit there were approximately 50 people who regularly used the service, four of whom were using it on the day of our inspection. The service is wheelchair accessible and based all on one floor.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

The service had appropriate procedures and training to enable staff to prevent, recognise and report potential abuse. People had personalised risk assessments that took into account their individual differences and contained the information staff needed to support them safely. There were suitable arrangements to keep the environment safe. Medicines were managed safely.

The service had a number of staff vacancies but the provider was recruiting at the time of our inspection. Staffing levels set by the provider continued to be met because the service was able to use a number of regular staff from agencies. However, staff were not always able to support people to take part in outdoor activities because of low staffing levels that did not always take people's individual needs and abilities into account. We recommend that the provider review the staffing levels to take this into account. There was a range of indoor activities available to people within the service.

Staff received the training and support they needed to perform their roles effectively. They received advice on best practice from specialist services that worked with people who used this service. 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 a variety of nutritious food. Staff monitored their health and supported them with healthcare appointments when needed. The premises contained adaptations to accommodate people with a variety of needs and was suitably decorated to provide a homely environment.

Staff were able to build positive caring relationships with people. They demonstrated that they knew people well enough to communicate effectively with them. Staff used a variety of techniques and aids to facilitate communication, help people understand information and hence to make choices about the care they received.

People had access to private space when they wanted it. Staff were respectful of people's privacy and dignity. Care was planned to maximise people's independence by giving staff the information they needed to support people to do as much for themselves as they could.

People's needs were assessed when they first used the service and this was used to create personalised care plans. Staff took into account people's individual needs and abilities, cultural backgrounds and preferences when providing care. The service worked well with other providers to give people consistent, joined-up care. The provider handled complaints appropriately.

The provider and registered manager used a variety of tools to assess, monitor and improve the quality of the service. This included audits, visits from senior staff and discussions in staff meetings. However, staff felt they were not always listened to or consulted about changes to their roles and that this may have contributed to high staff turnover. We recommend that the provider review their quality improvement systems to take into account staff involvement and morale.

This inspection took place on 30 December 2014 and was unannounced. This was the first inspection since the home registered under a new provider on 30 May 2014.

Vibrance 138 All Saints Road provides a respite service, with accommodation and personal care, for up to six people with a learning disability or autism. Some people had additional needs relating to physical and sensory disabilities and communication. On the day of our visit there were four people using the service.

The home 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.

Risk assessments were not always carried out for known risks to people, although management plans from other services were in use. This meant the service had not assessed whether the management plans remained suitable in protecting people and others from harm in this service. 

Some aspects of medicines management were safe, although records relating to medicines received and administered were not always accurate.

Accidents and incidents were clearly reported and senior managers analysed all reports to ensure the right action had been taken and to identify trends to prevent them from happening again.

There were systems in place to help safeguard people from abuse as staff understood safeguarding procedures.

Health and safety checks of the premises and equipment were carried out to ensure they were well maintained and safe, including the water, electrical and fire systems.

Recruitment procedures were robust with the necessary checks being carried out to ensure applicants were suitable to work in the home. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and staff were supported through effective supervision and training.

The service was not meeting their requirements in relation to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The manager had not assessed who required DoLS authorisations and applied for these for most people who use the service. DoLS provides a process to make sure that people are only deprived of their liberty in a safe and correct way, when it is in their best interests and there is no other way to look after them.

People’s day-to-day health needs were met. People ate the food and drink they liked and received the right support in relation to their dietary needs.

Staff were caring and treated people with dignity and respect, making sure people were treated as individuals. Staff knew the people they were caring for and communicated with them in the best ways for each person. Staff supported people to be as independent as they wanted to be.

People were involved in planning their own care and care was delivered in the ways people wanted. Staff supported people to follow their interests and take part in education and social activities to reduce social isolation.

The organisation had a clear vision and values which were shared by staff. Leadership was visible at all levels with senior managers regularly visiting the service to provide support and check on the quality of the service. The manager promoted open communication and was responsive to the suggestions of others.

At this inspection there was a breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.