Background to this inspection
Updated
5 January 2019
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 22 and 26 November 2018 and was announced. One adult social care inspector carried out the inspection.
We visited the provider’s office on 22 November 2018 to speak with the registered manager and to review care records and policies and procedures. We visited one of the houses where people were supported on 26 November 2018.
We spoke with two people who used the service. Some of the people had complex needs which limited their verbal communication. This meant they could not always tell us their views of the service so we spoke with three of their family members. In addition to the registered manager, we also spoke with the operations manager and four members of staff, and received feedback from two social care professionals. We looked at the care records of four people who used the service and the personnel files for three members of staff.
Before we visited the service we checked the information we held about this location and the service provider, for example, inspection history, statutory notifications and complaints. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send to the Commission by law. We contacted professionals involved in caring for people who used the service, including commissioners and safeguarding staff. We also contacted Healthwatch. Healthwatch is the local consumer champion for health and social care services. They give consumers a voice by collecting their views, concerns and compliments through their engagement work. Information provided by these professionals was used to inform the inspection.
We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
Updated
5 January 2019
This inspection took place on 22 and 26 November 2018 and was announced. This was to ensure someone would be available to speak with us and show us records.
The service provides personal care for people who live in their own homes. Not everyone using Flexible Support Options Limited (Stockholm Close) receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.
On the days of our inspection there were 32 people using the service. Most of the people who used the service had a learning disability.
At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good. There was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.
There were enough staff on duty to meet the needs of people who used the service. The provider had an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place and carried out relevant vetting checks when they employed staff. Staff were suitably trained and received regular supervisions and appraisals.
Accidents and incidents were appropriately recorded and risk assessments were in place. The registered manager understood their responsibilities with regard to safeguarding and staff had been trained in safeguarding vulnerable adults.
Appropriate arrangements were in place for the safe administration and storage of medicines.
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 supported this practice.
People were protected from the risk of poor nutrition and staff were aware of people’s nutritional needs. Care records contained evidence of people being supported during visits to and from external health care specialists.
People who used the service and family members were complimentary about the standard of care provided by Flexible Support Options Limited (Stockholm Close).
Staff treated people with dignity and respect and helped to maintain people’s independence by encouraging them to care for themselves where possible. Support plans were in place that recorded people’s plans and wishes for their end of life care.
Care records showed that people’s needs were assessed before they started using the service and support plans were written in a person-centred way. Person-centred means ensuring the person is at the centre of any care or support and their individual wishes, needs and choices were considered.
Activities were arranged for people who used the service based on their likes and interests and to help meet their social needs.
The provider had an effective complaints procedure in place and people who used the service and family members were aware of how to make a complaint.
The provider had an effective quality assurance process in place. Staff said they felt supported by the registered manager. People, family members and staff were regularly consulted about the quality of the service via meetings and surveys.