About the service:• The service is in a rural setting, near to Skegness in Lincolnshire.
• The service provides accommodation and personal care to people with learning disabilities and autism. Ashby Court is a complex of six small houses accommodating up to 11 people near the centre of Spilsby, Lincolnshire. The houses are purposely designed to promote independent living. At the time of our inspection there were 10 people living in the service.
People's experience of using this service:
• Audit processes were not comprehensively in place to ensure all risks had been managed and reduced. Questionnaires had been supplied to people for their views of the service though not to staff, external professionals and relatives.
• People were provided with a safe service though staff recruitment systems needed to be strengthened and any instances of suspected abuse reported to relevant agencies.
• People told us that people liked living at the service and that staff were friendly and caring towards them.
• People were assisted to have choice and control over their lives.
• People were protected against abuse, neglect and discrimination. Staff members were aware of ensuring people's safety and acting when necessary to prevent any harm.
• Staff members knew people well and people enjoyed spending time with them.
• People had a say in how the service was operated and managed.
• Activities were always available to people and they were assisted to have opportunities to work and to go to communal activities outside the service.
• People's care was personalised to their individual needs.
• The service met the characteristics for a rating of "Good" in key questions except well led, where it was rated Requires Improvement.
Rating at last inspection:
• The service was rated "good". Our last report was published for the inspection of 14 July 2016.
Why we inspected:
• This inspection was part of our scheduled plan of visiting services to check the safety and quality of care people received.
Follow up:
• We will continue to monitor the service to ensure that people received safe, high quality care. Further inspections will be planned for future dates. For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk