Updated 22 July 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 carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought or rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.
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
This inspection was unannounced.
We gave the service two working days’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
We provided an inspection poster prior to our site visit. The registered manager provided a copy to each person using the service. The poster informed people of the inspection and the date of the site visit. This was to facilitate opportunities for people to speak with us about the quality of their care, and the service they received.
Inspection activity started on 1 July 2022 and ended on 8 July 2022. We visited the service on 4 and 7 July 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with three people and one relative in person and two relatives by telephone. We sought their views about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the registered manager, a team leader, three members of care staff and the rota co-ordinator. We reviewed a range of records. This included two people's care records and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were examined, which included, minutes of staff meetings, staff training, audits, quality monitoring documents, policies and procedures.