New Key Bristol

Updated 13 March 2020

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.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We reviewed any other information we held about the service, such as feedback from people using the service and notifications. Notifications are information about specific events and incidents, the provider is required to tell us about by law.

During the inspection

During the inspection we visited two people in their own homes and spoke with four members of staff as well as the registered manager and director of the company. We reviewed two people’s care records and looked at other records relating to the service such as recruitment records and complaints.

After the inspection

We spoke with one relative of a person receiving support and also received email feedback from a person being supported.

Updated 13 March 2020

About the service

New Key provides support to people in their own home. People using the service have learning disabilities and/or autism, or physical disabilities. 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. At the time of the inspection, four people were receiving support with personal care.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People received good, person centred support that met their needs. People were encouraged to be part of planning their own support and setting their goals. Care was reviewed regularly to ensure it continued to meet people’s needs.

People were safe and had built positive relationships with staff who supported them. There were sufficient numbers of staff to cover people’s care needs. Arrangements were in place to cover shifts in the event of unplanned absence. People received safe support with their medicines where this was required.

Staff understood people’s needs well and worked hard to support people towards their goals and aspirations. We heard many positive examples of how people had been supported in an inclusive and empowering way. Staff incorporated the advice and guidance of other health and social care professionals in to their support.

Staff were well supported and trained. They told us they felt valued and listened to and free to raise any issues or concerns.

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.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The service was well led. A strong person centred culture had been established within the service. The provider was working at a national level to promote ways of funding care that empowered and provided choice for people receiving care.

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 good (report published 10 August 2017)

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.