Background to this inspection
Updated
9 January 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.
Our inspection was announced and the inspection team consisted of one adult social care inspector .We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.
Inspection site visit activity started on 11 December 2017 and ended on 18 December 2017. It included visiting the office location on 11 December 2017 to see the manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures. We continued to speak with staff up until the 18 December 2017. We visited people and spent time with them in their own home on the 12 December 2017.
The inspection was informed by feedback from questionnaires completed by a number of people using the service and their relatives .This complimented staff on quality and consistency of the support provided.
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.
During our visit to the service we spent time with 7 people who lived at the service and spoke with two family members. We also spoke with five care staff and the registered manager and registered provider of the service.
We looked at seven people’s support plans and also records relating to three staff and the overall management of the service.
Before our inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service including notifications of incidents that the provider had sent us since the last inspection, complaints and safeguarding. We also contacted local commissioners of the service and the local authority safeguarding team who raised no concerns regarding the service.
Updated
9 January 2018
This was an announced inspection, carried out on 11, 12 and 18 December 2017.
This service provides care and support to people living in three ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.
The service had a registered manager. 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.
At our last visit on the 27 October 2015 the service was rated as good. This inspection identified that the service continued to meet all the relevant fundamental standards and the rating remains good.
People told us that they were kept safe whilst living at the service. Systems were in place to protect people from the risk of harm. Staff understood their responsibilities around safeguarding people from abuse and protecting their rights. Robust recruitment processes were followed and there were sufficient skilled and experienced staff on duty to meet people’s needs. There were safe systems in place for the management of medicines. Medicines were administered safely and administration records were up to date
Staff received support through supervision and team meetings. They were able to discuss any matters, such as their personal concerns, work or training needs. There was a programme of planned training which was relevant to the work staff carried out and the needs of the people who used the service.
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.
People received personalised care and support from staff who knew them exceptionally well. The registered provider ensured consistency in care as a dedicated team of staff supported the same people. Support plans contained detailed, personal and relevant information to enable staff to meet and promote people’s individual needs. Staff worked well with external health and social care professionals to make sure people received the care and support they needed. Staff were responsive in meeting changes to people’s health needs
Staff were caring and treated people with kindness and respect. Observations showed that staff were respectful of people’s rights, choices, privacy and dignity and encouraged people to maintain their independence.
The service was well managed and quality assurance systems were in place to ensure people received a safe and effective service. We were notified as required about incidents and events which had occurred at the service.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.