We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.About the service
Glenister Gardens is a supported living service for up to 11 people with learning disabilities and/or autism. At the time of the inspection, 9 people were living at the service. People had their own flats and tenancies. The Guinness Partnership Ltd provided housing support and CCS Homecare Services Limited provided care and support to people using the service.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
We found the service was not always able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of right support, right care and right culture.
Right Support
People were not always supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did not always support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service did not support this practice. Medicines were not always managed safely.
We recommended the provider consistently applies the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
We also recommended the provider considers current guidance on infection prevention and control and take action to update their practice accordingly.
People were supported by staff to take part in activities and pursue their interests in their local area. People had a choice about their living environment and were able to personalise their rooms. Staff enabled people to access specialist health and social care support in the community. Staff communicated with people in ways that met their needs.
Right Care
We found risk assessments were not always in place or followed. Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse and the service worked with other agencies to do so. People received kind care. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity. The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe. People who had individual ways of communicating, using body language, sounds, pictures and symbols could interact comfortably with staff. People were supported to access healthcare services.
Right Culture
The provider had systems to evaluate the quality of the service being delivered, but these were not always effective as they had not found concerns identified during the inspection. Staff knew and understood people well and were responsive. People and those important to them were involved in planning their care. Staff were supported through supervision and training and told us they felt supported by the registered manager.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was good (published 24 October 2017).
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
Enforcement and Recommendations
We have identified breaches in relation to safe care, including medicines management, need for consent and good governance at this inspection.
Follow up
We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.