11 April 2016
During a routine inspection
2 Dover Street is a supported living service registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes . 2 Dover Street is the office where the registered manager and staff arrange the care for people who live in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were 12 people who used the service. They received personal care and social support in order to promote their independence.
The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.
Recruitment checks were carried out prior to care workers starting work, to ensure their suitability to work with people. Only those staff who were deemed suitable to work with people who used the service were offered employment.
People’s assessed care needs were met by suitably trained and qualified staff. Medicines were given by staff who had received specialised training. Their competency to do this safely was regularly assessed.
Staff knew how to keep people safe. They received training to understand safeguarding procedures and how to recognise signs of abuse. They knew to report any suspected incident of harm to the appropriate authorities.
People were supported in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act. The manager understood the importance applying for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLs) when necessary. Staff ensured they maintained people’s privacy and dignity, and treated people with compassion and respect.
Staff knew people’s needs, and their levels of independence, well. Appropriate risk management strategies were in place to reduce the risks of people falling, being at risk outside of their homes and receiving medicines. People’s needs were assessed by staff who knew them well. Support was planned in a way to ensure that the service was able to safely meet these needs. People and their relatives were involved in this process in defining and agreeing their care needs .
People were supported to see a range of health care professionals.
People had a choice of meals that met their dietary requirements and preferences . We saw that when people were able to staff supported them to prepare their own meals.
Staff had been trained to meet the specific needs of people who used the service. Staff told us they were supported within their job roles.
People and relatives were provided with information about how to report any concerns or compliments. Relatives told us they were confident that actions would be taken in response to complaints.
A range of effective audit and quality assurance procedures were in place. The provider ensured the CQC was notified about events they were required, by law, to do so.