Background to this inspection
Updated
23 May 2023
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 service was inspected by 2 inspectors.
Service and service type
This service provides care and support to people living in ‘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 provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.
At the time of our inspection there were 2 registered managers in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small, and people are often out, and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.
Inspection activity started on 12 April 2023 and ended on 20 April 2023. We visited the location’s office and service on 12 April 2023 and a second out of hours visit to the service on 20 April 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service. We used all this information to plan our 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.
During the inspection
We spoke to both registered managers within the service office and with consent we visited the homes of 2 people who used the service and spoke to them to gain their views. We spoke to 2 family members. We spoke with 6 members of staff, 3 from the management team and 3 care workers.
We looked at records relating to the management of the service including policies and procedures and staff training as well as audits and quality checks. We viewed 2 people’s care files.
Updated
23 May 2023
About the service
Independence support is a supported living service, providing personal care to people who live in their own self-contained apartments within a modern purpose-built apartment block.
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. The service was providing personal care to 2 people at the time of the inspection.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
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.
Right Support: People were supported in a kind and respectful way by their staff team. People were involved in their care planning and were supported and encouraged to engage in activities within their local community and follow their interests and hobbies. Independence was promoted and support provided in a way that developed skills. Some areas of the care plans needed to be updated in line with people’s needs however this did not impact the support people received.
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.
Right Care: Staff promoted equality and diversity in their support for people. Care was person centred, staff knew the people they supported well and promoted independence were possible. The service had a consistent staff team with appropriately skilled staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe.
Right Culture: Staff were aware of people’s wishes, needs and support and ensured they were central to all support provided. The management team understood people’s needs and had effective oversight of the service. They evaluated the support they provided to not only people who used the service but their families and staff. The service was always looking at ways to improve and introduced a job role for one person using the service which enabled them to be involved in the completion of audits, ensuring that people’s wishes were paramount in the way forward.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The service was registered with CQC on 27 July 2017 but remained dormant until 21 May 2021 due to the pandemic and delays in building work. This is the first inspection of the service.
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.