- Homecare service
hcs Supported Living
Assessment report published 24 July 2025
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 18 June to 7 July 2025. HCS Supported Living provides support to young adults with a learning disability and autistic people who live in their own homes and who have their own tenancy. The service supported 4 people. Not everyone using the service received personal care. CQC only assesses and inspects where people receive personal care. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of this assessment there were 2 people who received regulated care and support. This was the first assessment of the service and we reviewed all key questions and quality statements. The outcome of this assessment was a rating for the service. We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. We were assured the service met the principles of ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ and people received safe, person-centred and outcomes-focussed care and support.
There was a learning culture in the organisation and lessons were always learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. People were kept safe in the service and members of staff knew how to make alerts if they had any concerns. The service understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The provider worked well with people to fully understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. Staff provided care that fully met people’s needs which was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them. The provider made sure there were always enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received thorough support, supervision and strong development opportunities. Members of staff worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs. Administration of people’s medicines was managed safely.
The provider made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by thoroughly assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them. The provider planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards. Members of staff and wider teams of health and care professionals worked together well to support people. People were supported to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. People’s support teams supported them to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support. People’s care and support was monitored and reviewed to continuously improve it. The provider ensured outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they fully met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves. People were supported to give their consent to care and support. Easy read documents were provided to people and used to explain and record consent.
The service and members of staff were exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Members of staff were kind and caring. They knew the people they supported and they enabled them to live independently, with appropriate levels of support, and to make their own choices and decisions. The provider treated people as individuals and was outstanding in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met their needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. The provider promoted people’s independence and people knew their rights and they had choice and control over their own care, support and wellbeing. The provider was very good at how they listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Members of staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled them to always deliver person-centred care.
The provider made sure people were at the centre of their care and support choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs. The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity. The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas or raise complaints about their care and support. Members of staff involved people and their families in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result. Members of staff and the management team were innovative in how they listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes. They used this information to provide tailored care and support that was person-centred. People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future.
The provider had a very clear shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and an exceptional understanding of the challenges and the needs of people and their communities. The provider had exceptionally inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They always did so with integrity, openness and honesty. There was a positive culture in the service where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Diversity in the workforce was valued by the provider. The provider worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who worked for them. The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver high-quality, sustainable care and support. They always acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this with others when appropriate. The provider clearly understood and carried out their duty to collaborate and work in partnership with people and local services. People were members of their local communities and they accessed local shops, services and green spaces for walks. The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people.
People's experience of this service
People who were supported by the service were safe and told us they were happy with the support they received. One person said, “I am very safe in my house. If I don’t feel safe then I can talk to the staff or [member of management team].” We visited people in their own homes and confirmed they were living independently with the freedom to make choices about their daily activities and lives. People valued the members of staff who worked with them. One person told us, “It is brilliant. Staff are really good and help me to be a better me.” When we spoke to members of people’s families, they confirmed they could visit people’s houses at any time and they were able to get updates and information from the management team. Family members confirmed people’s social and emotional needs were being met by the provider. People who were previously withdrawn were now involved in community activities. A family member told us, “[Person] has had an amazing experience. [Person] received proactive help and support to fulfil their dreams.”