Archived: Lifeways Community Care (Wiltshire)

This inspection took place on 23, 25, 26 March and we visited three people who used the service on the 17 April 2015. This was an announced inspection which meant the provider knew two days before we would be visiting. This was because the location provides a supported living service. We wanted to make sure the manager would be available to support our inspection, or someone who could act on their behalf.

Lifeways Community Care in Melksham has been operating since 7 January 2014 from well-equipped office building on the outskirts of Melksham. They provide supported living services for people living in a range of housing provision in the local area. People using the service are adults who live in their own homes, and some share a home. At the time of this inspection 22 people were receiving the service.

There was not a registered manager in post at the service at the time of our inspection, but the recently employed manager was in the process of becoming registered. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.

The manager was accessible and approachable. Staff, people who used the service and relatives felt able to speak with the manager and provided feedback on the service.

We saw records to show formal complaints relating to the service had been dealt with effectively.

Perminant staff were knowledgeable of people’s preferences and care needs. People told us the regular staff they had provided them with the care and support they needed and expected. However we received negative feedback about the amount of agency staff which had been used, all of which stated this resulted in lack of consistency of staff sometimes and meant some people didn’t always feel safe. The manager showed us figures to show the reduction in the usage of agency from 2118 hours during October 2014 to using 1404 hours during March 2015. The manager explained this would reduce further in April as the recently recruited staff will have completed their induction and would be included on the new four week rolling rota.

We saw incidents of medicine errors by one agency staff had been reported and appropriate action had been taken.

Staff explained the importance of supporting people to make choices about their daily lives. Where necessary, staff contacted health and social care professionals for guidance and support.

From our observations staff members’ approach to people who use the service was warm and caring. We saw that positive praise and choices were offered and that communication was calm and respectful.

Each person had a care plan that outlined their needs and the support required. People were supported in a range of interests which suited their wishes, this included accessing their local community.

Staff had received regular training in mandatory subjects. Lifeways employ a person to provide face to face training to staff for the majority of subjects. However opinions varied regarding the effectiveness of E learning (computer based) training for the remaining few subjects. The team leaders and manager said the effectiveness of training is monitored through the supervision and if necessary disciplinary processes.

Four out of five staff we spoke with said they “felt supported”, however one out of five staff said they “did not receive regular supervision.” Each of the staff records we saw included records of staff receiving regular supervision of their performance.

All staff were clear about how to report any concerns they had. Staff were confident that any concerns raised would be fully investigated to ensure people were protected. The majority of staff were knowledgeable about the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.