Inroads Open Care

Updated 27 February 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place between on 23 January 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the registered manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be available. The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Prior to our inspection, we reviewed information we held about the service including the action plan supplied to us after the last inspection stating how and by when the service would improve. Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

Some people had complex needs, which meant they could not always readily tell us about their experiences. They communicated with us in different ways, such as facial expressions, signs and gestures. We also observed interactions between staff and individuals in communal areas. We spoke with one person using the service, four relatives, three professionals, five members of support staff plus the deputy and the registered manager.

We reviewed three support plans, five medication administration records, three recruitment files, and other records about the safety and quality monitoring of the service.

Updated 27 February 2018

The inspection took place on 23 January 2018 and was announced. Inroads Open Care supports people with a learning disability in three settings. This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community [and specialist housing]. On the day of our visit there were ten people supported by the service.

The inspection was announced as this service is small we wanted to make sure that someone would be available when we visited.

Following the last inspection, we asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the key questions of Safe, Effective, Responsive and Well-led.

At this inspection, we found that there were sufficient staff to support people and staff morale had improved. The quality assurance system had been developed and information from the audits had been used to improve the service and support provided to people in relation to their assessed needs.

A registered manager was in place and was based at the service central office. They visited people and staff regularly and did provide support themselves on planned occasions. 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.

People looked at ease with staff and told us that the staff were kind. One person was able to talk with us about their experiences of the service which were positive.

Each person had a support plan and a risk assessment which identified actions which should be taken to minimise the risk. There was a robust recruitment process and staff received an induction, supervision and on-going training. Medicines were safely stored and administered as prescribed.

Staff were knowledgeable about the signs of abuse, and the actions that they would take should they have any concerns.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

Support plans were in place for each person and written in four interlinking parts. The information provided staff with the information they needed to support people. People’s preferences and choices had been identified in their support plan. People choose the food and drinks they consumed.

There was a complaints policy and procedure in place. Relatives informed us they were confident any complaint would be listened to and investigated. All people were supported by staff to pursue activities and interests of their choice.

The service staff provided a positive culture of support to the people using the service.