About the service: Victoria Court is a care home that provides personal and nursing care to a maximum of 16 younger adults with mental health needs. At the time of inspection eight people were using the service.

People’s experience of using this service: At this inspection we found breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. These related to person-centred care, safe care and treatment and governance.

People told us they felt safe. However, risk assessments did not identify all risks to people and staff, including environmental risks.

Improvements were required to the building to ensure it was suitable for its intended purpose. It did not provide a well-maintained, safe and comfortable home for people. Arrangements for managing people’s medicines were not safe, when people kept their own medicines.

Records did not provide guidance to staff to ensure people received safe, appropriate care and support, including for any therapeutic interventions.

We have made a recommendation best practice guidance is followed about using nationally recognised assessment tools and models of care planning to meet people's needs.

Staffing levels were sufficient but we have made a recommendation that the numbers of staff and staff deployment are kept under review. This to ensure that staff are available to spend time with people and that their needs are met in a person-centred way.

Staff knew about safeguarding procedures. Appropriate checks were carried out before staff began to work with people.

Staff had an understanding and knowledge of people’s care and support needs. They received the training and support they needed. People were supported to access health care professionals when required. Staff worked well with other agencies to ensure people received care and support.

People said staff were kind and caring. People’s privacy was respected and their dignity maintained. People had food and drink to meet their needs. There were some opportunities for people to follow their interests and hobbies and to be part of the local community.

People were involved in decisions about their care. They 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 the opportunity to give their views about the service. There was consultation with staff and people. Their views were used to improve the service. People said they knew how to complain.

A robust quality assurance system was not in place to assess the standards of care in the service. Audits that were carried out were not effective as they had not identified issues that we found at inspection.

Why we inspected: This was the first inspection of the service since it was registered in March 2017. This was a planned comprehensive inspection.

Follow up: We identified concerns at this inspection. We will therefore re-inspect this service within the published timeframe for services rated requires improvement with three requirements.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk