Background to this inspection
Updated
2 December 2016
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 on 26 October 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be there. We wanted to let people know when we were coming to give them the opportunity to meet and talk with us. The inspection was carried out by two inspectors.
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. We reviewed information we held about the service. We looked at notifications received by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law, such as a serious injury. We looked at previous inspection reports.
During the inspection we spoke with four people, the registered manager, director and three staff. We also received feedback from health and social care professionals who had worked with people who used the service. We visited people in their homes and observed staff supporting people.
We looked at documents including four care plans, medicines records, three staff files, risk assessments, audits, minutes of meetings for people and staff, training records and staff rotas.
We last inspected this service on 23 August 2013 when there were no concerns.
Updated
2 December 2016
The inspection took place on 26 October 2016 and was announced.
Avalon Enterprises Ltd UK provides domiciliary care and support services to people with a learning disability living in their own homes. The service is based in an office in the basement of one of the homes, but has a separate entrance. The office is open during office hours and an on call system is in place outside of these times. The service currently provides support to 12 people with personal care, they also support another 35 people with independent living skills, in Thanet, Ashford, Canterbury and Faversham. Some people have their own flats and others share a house.
The service has a registered manager in place and they have been in this role since 2012.
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.
There were two locality managers who supported the registered manager at different locations; they were supported by staff known as ‘senior lifestyle mentors’ and ‘lifestyle mentors’.
People were safe and were supported to try new things and take risks. They were able to plan their own support and chose their staff. People knew about safeguarding and who to talk to if they were worried. They could contact the registered manager or director directly and did so.
Staff were recruited safely and people were involved in the interview process. Staff had an induction and were introduced to people by established staff before supporting them. Staff were offered training to meet the needs of people they supported. Staff were in regular contact with the management team and had regular one to one meetings. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and they told us they felt supported.
Medicines were managed safely and people were encouraged to be as involved as possible with their medicines. Staff worked closely with local health and social care professionals to manage people’s health and develop new opportunities for them. When people’s needs changed advice was sought and followed to make sure the service could still meet people’s needs safely.
People had good relationships with staff who supported them. Staff knew people well and treated them with dignity and respect. People were encouraged to express their opinions and be involved in planning their care.
The care plans reflected people’s preferences and how they liked to be supported. People’s hobbies and interests were supported and many did voluntary work which the staff had supported them to find. People had support to eat healthily and planned their own menus.
When complaints were received they were investigated and responded to. People’s confidentiality was respected and records were stored securely. Staff had some understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA), the registered manager said this was an area for further training. The Care Quality Commission is required by law to monitor the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty
Safeguards (DoLS). For people who live in their own homes this is managed by the Court of Protection (COP). No applications had been made for people as no one needed one.
There was an open and person centred culture, people and staff could contact or visit the office whenever they wanted to. The registered manager visited people regularly to check they were happy with the service and was accessible to people, professionals and staff. Views were sought from people, relatives and professionals and were acted on.
The CQC had been informed of any important events that occurred at the service, in line with current legislation.