Last updated 24 November 2017
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection took place on 18 October 2017 and was unannounced. Due to the small size of the service, one inspector carried out the inspection.

Before the inspection we reviewed the evidence we had about the service. This included any notifications of significant events, such as serious injuries or safeguarding referrals. Notifications are information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. The registered manager had completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also received feedback by email from three social care professionals and one activity professional prior to our inspection.

During the inspection people were not able to tell us directly about their experience due to their communication needs. Instead we observed the support they received and the interactions they had with staff. We spoke with two staff, the registered manager as well as the provider’s group manager.

We looked at the care records of three people, including their assessments, care plans and risk assessments. We looked at how medicines were managed and records relating to this. We checked two staff recruitment records, minutes of staff meetings and records of staff training and supervision. We looked at records used to monitor the quality of the service, such as health and safety checks and the provider’s audits of different aspects of the service.

After the inspection we received feedback from four relatives about the care their family members received.