Whitehaven is a service that provides care, support and accommodation for up to a maximum of 14 adults with a variety of learning disabilities and mental health conditions. Accommodation was over two floors with bedrooms on the ground and first floor. People all had their own bedrooms and there was a communal lounge/dining area and kitchen downstairs. Most of the bedrooms were single occupancy without ensuite facilities. However there was one self-contained flat downstairs and another being refurbished upstairs, these flats had their own kitchen, lounge, bedroom and bathroom in one contained space. These flats allowed people to live more independently and could be a supportive measure to help people to transition to independent living.

At the last inspection carried out on the 10 and 11 December 2014 the service was rated Good overall with the caring section rated as requires improvement. At this inspection we found improvements to the caring section had been made and the service remained good overall.

We carried out this inspection as part of our routine schedule of inspections and to check that people were still receiving a good standard of care and support.

People told us they felt safe with staff. Relatives had no concerns about the safety of people. There were policies and procedures regarding the safeguarding of adults and staff knew what action to take.

Potential risks to people had been identified and assessed appropriately. There were sufficient numbers of staff to support people and safe recruitment practices were followed. Medicines were managed safely.

Staff had received all essential training and there were opportunities for them to study for additional qualifications. All staff training was up-to-date. Team meetings were held and staff had regular communication with each other at handover meetings which took place between each shift.

People were supported to have choice and control of their lives as much as they were able and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

People were supported to have sufficient to eat and drink and to maintain a healthy diet. They had access to healthcare professionals. People’s rooms were decorated in line with their personal preferences.

Staff knew people well and positive, caring relationships had been developed. People were encouraged to express their views and these were respected by the staff who supported them. People were involved in decisions about their care as much as they were able. Their privacy and dignity were respected and promoted. Staff understood how to care for people in a sensitive way.

Care plans provided information about people in a person-centred way. People’s personal preferences and their likes and dislikes were documented so that staff knew how people wished to be supported. There was a variety of activities on offer which people could choose to do. Complaints were dealt with in line with the provider’s complaints procedure.

Weekly and monthly checks were carried out to monitor the quality of the service provided. There were regular meetings with people and staff and feedback was sought on the quality of the service provided. People and staff were able to influence the running of the service and make comments and suggestions about any changes. Regular one to one meetings with staff and people took place. These meetings enabled the registered manager and provider to monitor if people’s needs were being met.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

We spoke with two people who lived at the home. They were satisfied with the care and support they received and were happy living at Whitehaven. One person told us, "I like it. They (staff) are good to me". Another said, "Yes, they look after me really well". We noted that the home provided a wide variety of social events and educational opportunities; the people we spoke with were happy with the number and variety of activities on offer.

We saw that people's consent was obtained where possible before care and treatment undertaken. We observed that the care given was safe and appropriate and based on effective care planning and risk assessments. This meant that people's individual needs were met and preferences were taken into account.

People were protected from the risks associated with poor medication management. We saw that medicines were properly handled and administered in line with the providers policy. We noted that there were adequate numbers of skilled and experienced staff to deliver safe and appropriate care. We also found that systems were in place for people and relatives to make a complaint about the service if necessary and that complaints were managed in a satisfactory manner.

During the visit people using the service told us that they were happy with the care and support they received and they were positive about the manager and staff team. Those people who did not use verbal communication showed us that they were happy by facial expressions and signing. There was a calm, friendly atmosphere in the home.

Comments from people using the service included. “I am quite happy living here thank you. Staff are friendly and happy and I can go to football.” Another person said. " The food is good, they have helped me to lose weight".

Each person living in the home had a comprehensive plan of care that guided staff to their individual needs and wishes. The plans also detailed people’s physical and emotional healthcare needs.

The home’s staff worked with a variety of healthcare professionals including learning disability and mental health teams. We were shown that advocates and specialist consultants were used where appropriate.

People were protected from risk of abuse as they were supported by a staff team who had the appropriate knowledge and training on safeguarding adults.

Evidence that we saw showed us that people were supported by a caring, experienced staff team. The staff team were well supported and trained.

People were very positive about the manager and staff team and said that they were kind and friendly.

A regular cycle of quality audits was undertaken to ensure that the home was kept under review.

We talked to three people who live at Whitehaven. They told us they receive the care and support they need, particularly with regard to personal finances. They also told us they have given consent to this and have had their care plans discussed with them. One person said, “I am being helped with budgeting. I have discussed this with staff so we can work out the best way for me.” They also told they have been asked about their views of the service provided.

We also spoke to two members of staff who were on duty. They told us about the care they provide to people at Whitehaven. They also told us what they would do if they believed that someone was being subject to abuse in order to protect them.

We spoke to the manager about the systems that were in place to protect the rights of people who were unable to give consent. We were also told about the systems that were in place to monitor and assess the quality of service provided.

This was an unannounced inspection which took place on 10 and 11 December 2014.

Whitehaven provides support and accommodation for adults with a variety of learning disabilities and mental health conditions. These include Down’s syndrome, autism and Asperger syndrome and schizophrenia. At the time of this inspection there were 11 people living at the home. Nine people were able to communicate verbally and independently. People’s levels of support varied; with one person requiring one to one support whilst others needed emotional support and were independent in other aspects of their lives.

During our inspection the registered manager was present. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.’

People told us that they were happy with the support they received from staff and that they were treated with kindness. However, staff did not always ensure people’s dignity was maintained when they were in a state of undress.

People were supported to express their views and to be involved in making decisions about their care and support. Staff knew each person’s individual needs, traits and personalities. People were supported to access and maintain links with their local community. Support plans were in place that provided detailed information for staff on how to deliver people’s care.

The service had good systems in place to keep people safe. People told us they felt safe. Staff were aware of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. The manager was clear about when to report concerns and the processes to be followed to inform the local authority and the Commission in order to keep people safe. Medicines were managed safely.

People were able to make choices, to take control of their lives and supported to increase their independent living skills. Risk assessments and support plans were in place that considered potential risks to people and strategies to minimize these were recorded and acted upon. People were supported to access healthcare services and to maintain good health.

People told us that there were enough staff on duty to support them and meet their needs. Appropriate recruitment checks were completed to ensure staff were safe to support people. Staff were sufficiently skilled and experienced to care and support people to have a good quality of life. Staff received training, supervision and appraisal that supported them to undertake their roles and to meet the needs of people.

Whitehaven met the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and people confirmed that they had consented to the care they received. Staff were kind and caring and people were treated with respect. Staff knew what people could do for themselves and areas where support was needed.

People told us that management of the home was good. Regular meetings were held with people and staff that encouraged open and transparent communication between people and management. Staff understood the vision and values of Whitehaven and the manager monitored that these were reflected in the support that people received.

Quality assurance audits were completed which helped ensure quality standards were maintained and legislation complied with. Accidents and incidents were acted upon and reviewed on an individual basis to prevent or minimise re-occurrence.