Archived: Community Enablement Team

Updated 4 August 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 9 June 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary service and we needed to be sure that someone would be in. The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector.

Prior to the inspection we reviewed all the information we had about the service including statutory notifications. The registered provided had been asked to complete 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 contacted the local authority and Healthwatch to see if they had any feedback about the services provided.

We spoke with two people who had used the service. There were no people using the service on the day of our inspection who were supported with the regulated activity of personal care. We reviewed three care and support files in detail, spoke with the registered manager, a deputy manager and a care worker. We reviewed three staff files and all the audits in relation to the monitoring of quality at the service.

Updated 4 August 2016

The inspection took place on 9 June 2016 and was announced.

The Community Enablement Team is a service for people with learning disabilities including Autistic Spectrum conditions. It offers an enabling approach to help people to improve their quality of life by increasing their independence and confidence. Since the previous inspection in 2013 the service had moved away from traditional support services to an enablement service and there was no one at the service being supported with the regulated activity of personal care on the day of our inspection.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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.

Staff had received training in how to keep people safe. All the staff we spoke with demonstrated they understood how to ensure people were safeguarded against abuse and they knew the procedure to follow to report any incidents.

Risks were managed at the service and there were systems and processes in place to ensure environmental risks were minimised. The service used a positive risk approach which balanced the necessary levels of protection with preserving reasonable levels of choice and control for the person.

The service practised safe recruitment to ensure staff were recruited with the right experience and behaviours for their role. Staff completed an induction and training to ensure they had the skills to meet the needs of the people supported. Staff were supported to continually develop by obtaining nationally recognised qualifications and through ongoing supervision and appraisal.

The registered manager understood their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff had a good understanding of the principles of the Act and how to support people if they lacked capacity.

Staff were passionate about enablement and maximising people’s independence to live fulfilled lives. People using the service spoke highly of the staff at the service and their attitude and approach in encouraging independence.

Support plans were detailed and person centred and people were supported by staff who knew them well and whom they trusted. This enabled staff to enhance people’s well-being and life skills.

People were involved in their support planning and reviews and staff engaged with people using the service, which was key to achieving the desired outcomes.

Complaints were handled appropriately and the service had a complaints policy in place. The service kept a record of compliments received and used these to motivate and encourage staff.

The service was well-led by a management team who was passionate about the service they provided. We found there was a positive culture within the service. There were clear values and a shared vision to develop the service.

Staff spoke highly of the registered manager and the management team and the support they provided.

Quality audits had been undertaken and there were good systems in place to monitor the effectiveness of the service provided.