Background to this inspection
Updated
24 September 2019
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector and one Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats and specialist housing.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection.
We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small, and people are often out, and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us. We needed to be sure the registered manager would be available to answer our questions and provide us with the information we required. Inspection activity started on and ended on 22 August 2019.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We visited one person in their own home. We spoke with four relatives for their feedback about the service. We visited the registered office and spoke with the registered manager and the locality manager and we spoke with two support workers. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision and a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.
Updated
24 September 2019
About the service
Lonsdale Midlands is a domiciliary care agency that provides personal care and support to 6 people living in their own homes or in supported living settings.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.
The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.
People were protected from harm and abuse as staff had the skills and knowledge to identify and report any safeguarding concerns. Risks assessments were completed to enable staff to support people in a safe way. People received their medicines as prescribed.
Assessment and care plan records were regularly updated and reviewed and gave staff guidance to support people in line with their preferences and choices. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People received support to maintain a balanced diet.
People were treated with kindness and dignity. Staff promoted choice and respect enabling people to be as independent as possible.
Staff worked well with each other and with other agencies to support people to receive consistent care. People and their relatives knew how to make a complaint and felt confident that concerns raised would be acted upon.
The registered manager understood their registration requirements and maintained good oversight of the service. There were effective systems in place to monitor the delivery of a good standard of care. The registered manager worked in partnership with other organisations and people, their relatives and staff were engaged with the service to drive improvements and to provide good outcomes for people.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 24 October 2018).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.