Background to this inspection
Updated
4 September 2021
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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.
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 27 July 2021 and ended on 6 August 2021. We visited the provider’s office location on 28 July 2021.
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 and professionals who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We spoke with one person who used the service, and three relatives, about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, care supervisors and care workers.
We reviewed a range of records. This included four peoples care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and infection control policies.
Updated
4 September 2021
About the service
Specialist Support Services for Younger Adults with Disabilities West is registered as a domiciliary care agency. At the time of our inspection, the service was supporting 25 people. People received care and support in their own private single or multiple occupancy accommodation.
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.
Peoples experience of using this service and what we found
The service was providing personal care into seven supported living properties in addition to domiciliary care. We raised this with the provider, who has since applied to CQC to add this service type to their registration.
Risks to people had not been consistently assessed. We identified one person who was at increased risk when in the community, the person’s care records did not provide staff with clear direction of how to reduce the risks.
People were supported to keep safe by the provider’s systems. Accidents and incidents were reviewed and monitored. People received their prescribed medicine safely from trained and competent staff.
People and their relatives told us staff treated them well. One person told us “[Staff] are respectful, they help me to look after my things, they are very nice and kind.” A relative told us “The staff are lovely, friendly, understanding and cooperative.”
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.
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 able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. The registered manager and staff team promoted a positive culture, they provided personalised care and support to meet Peoples chosen outcomes. People and their relatives where appropriate had been involved in creating and developing their care plans which promoted peoples choices, preferences and independence.
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 us on 1 April 2021 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This is the first inspection for this newly registered service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.