This inspection took place on 27 September and 02 October 2017. The inspection was unannounced and was the first inspection of the service under the current registration. Widmore Road is a respite service providing support and accommodation for up to 12 people with learning disabilities at any one time. There were seven people using the service at the time of our inspection.

There was a registered manager in place at the time of our inspection. 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.

At this inspection we found that whilst medicines were managed safely, there were minor issues with the way in which medicines were stored, recorded and monitored at the service. However, we raised these issues with the registered manager who started taking action to address our concerns during the inspection, and following our inspection they confirmed the issues had been addressed.

People were protected from the risk of abuse because staff were aware of the potential types and action to take if they suspected abuse had occurred. There were sufficient staff deployed to meet people’s needs and staffing levels varied depending on the number of people using the service and their support requirements. The provider undertook appropriate checks on staff before they started work at the service to ensure they were of good character.

Risks to people had been assessed and action taken to manage identified risks safely. Staff sought consent from the people they supported and were aware to act in accordance with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People were supported to maintain a balanced diet and to access healthcare services when required in support of their health.

Staff treated people with dignity and respected their privacy. People told is staff were kind and considerate and we observed interactions between staff and people to be friendly and engaging. People were support to make decisions about their care and treatment. They were able to take part in a range of activities which they enjoyed and were supported to maintain the relationships that were important to them. Staff were supported in their roles through training and regular supervision.

People and relatives, where appropriate were involved in the planning of their care. Care plans were person centred and included information about people’s preferences in the way they received support. Staff were aware of the details of people’s care plans and supported them accordingly. The provider had a complaints policy and procedure in place which gave guidance to people on how to raise concerns. People told us they knew how to complain.

The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service and we saw action had been taken to address any issues where they were identified. People and relatives spoke positively about the registered manager and the way in which the service was run. Staff told us they were well supported by the management team and worked well together. People’s views about the service had been sought to help drive improvements.