Archived: Options Dorset

Updated 24 January 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check 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.

One inspector carried out the inspection over two days on 15 and 21 December 2017. We told the provider two days before our visit that we would be coming to ensure that the people we needed to talk to would be available.

We visited three different supported living services run by the provider. We spoke with and met five people in their own homes. We spoke with nine staff and the deputy and registered manager.

The people we met had complex ways of communicating and were not able to tell us their experiences of the service. All of the people we visited had 24 hour personal care and support packages from Options Dorset. We observed the way staff supported people in their homes. We spoke with one person’s relative following the inspection on 2 January 2018.

We looked at three people’s care and support records and records about how the service was managed. This included four staffing recruitment records, audits, meeting minutes and quality assurance records.

Before the inspection, the provider 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 looked at incidents that they had notified us about.

We also contacted commissioners, safeguarding teams and health and social care professionals who work with people using the service to obtain their views. We did not receive any feedback.

Following the inspection, the registered manager sent us information about actions they had taken following our initial feedback and the staff training matrix.

Updated 24 January 2018

We inspected the service over two days on 15 and 21 December 2017 and made telephone calls on 2 January 2018. We told the provider two days before our visit that we would be coming to ensure that the people we needed to talk to would be available.

Options Dorset provides care and support to eleven people with learning and or physical disabilities or autism living in 10 ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support. The service's office is based in Poole and provides support to people in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch.

The registered manager has been registered with CQC since September 2016. 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.

This was the first inspection of the service since a change in the legal entity of the provider.

The people we visited had complex communication needs and were not able to verbally tell us about their experiences. We saw and a relative told us staff were very caring and compassionate. Staff spoke to and supported people in ways which showed they valued and cared about them.

People’s medicines were managed safely and any risks to people were identified and managed in order to keep people safe.

People received care and support in a personalised way. People’s needs were assessed and planned for. Staff knew people well and understood their needs and the way they communicated. We found that people received the health, personal and social care support they needed. People were supported to pursue activities and interests that were important to them.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. Staff had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 20015 and making any decisions in people’s best interests.

There was an accessible complaints procedure in place. Complaints were investigated in line with the provider’s policy.

Staff were recruited safely and there were enough staff to make sure people had the care and support they needed. Staff were trained and had they opportunity for personal and professional development. Staff told us they were supported by managers at the service.

The culture within the service was personalised and open. There was a clear management structure and staff felt well supported and listened to. There were systems in place to monitor the safety and quality of the service provided.