Bosun Care Ltd

Updated 19 May 2022

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in two ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live 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.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 26 April 2022 and ended on 26 April 2022. We visited the location’s office/service on 26 April 2022.

What we did before the inspection

The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with the registered manager, the deputy managers and three staff members and received feedback from one relative and a health care professional.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures, staff training, improvement plans, and audits were reviewed. After the inspection we continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 19 May 2022

About the service

Bosun Care Ltd is a supported living service providing personal care to people who may live in single or shared occupancy households with their own tenancy agreements. This registered location supports people living in several households of different sizes (single and multiple occupancies). 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. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting two people with their personal care.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was not able to fully demonstrate how they were meeting some of the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. Right support: Model of care and setting maximises people’s choice, control and Independence; Right care: Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human rights; Right culture: Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives

Through discussion with the managers and staff and reviewing people’s care records we were not fully assured that managers had kept themselves informed of current developments and guidance when supporting people with a learning disability or autism. This meant the provider may not be able to effectively monitor the quality of care being provided to ensure people received support which promoted positive outcomes for them.

We found no immediate negative impact on people as the service was only providing personal care to a small number of people with a learning disability or autism. Managers were able to demonstrate and provide examples of how they had promoted people’s independence and maximise people’s choices and control of their life. However we have recommended the provider considers current guidance on supporting people with a learning disability or autism and take action to update their practices accordingly. This will ensure that there will be a consistent and more effective approach in supporting people with learning disabilities or autism if the service expands.

People received compassionate care from staff who were passionate about supporting people with complex needs. Relatives spoke positively about the management and staff of the service. The provider valued feedback from people and their relatives and took action to address any concerns. A health care professional stated they found the service responsive and effective.

People were supported effectively to transition into the service. Staff worked with other agencies and people’s families to fully understand people’s support requirements.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff felt supported and trained in their role. The registered manager had supported and mentored the deputy manager to manage the service in their absence.

Systems were in place to manage and review incidents, safeguarding and complaints. Quality monitoring arrangements were in place to monitor staff practices and training.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with in December 2016 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This service had not been inspected since their registration in December 2016 as they were not supporting people anyone who received personal care. We continued to monitor the service during this period. This inspection was triggered as the commission had received intelligence that Bosun Care Ltd had started to support people with personal care. This inspection was carried out to gain assurances about the quality of care and systems used to support people who receive personal care.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.