Background to this inspection
Updated
24 January 2019
The inspection: We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.
Inspection team: One inspector carried out the inspection.
Service and service type: This service provides care and support to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection, seven people were using the service. Five of those people were living in a 'supported living' setting, so they could live 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 only.
The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. However, a manager had been appointed and had submitted their application to become registered with us. This meant that they and the provider will be legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection: This inspection was announced. We gave the provider 24 hours’ notice because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the manager and staff would be available to speak with us.
What we did when preparing for and carrying out this inspection: We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included details about incidents the provider must notify us about, such as abuse. We also sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. We assessed the 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. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection visit we spoke with three members of staff including the manager and two care staff. We also spoke with three people who invited us into their home. We were therefore able to see how staff interacted with people and supported them.
We reviewed a range of records. For example, two people's care records and medication records. We also looked at records relating to the management of the home. These included meeting minutes and the checks the provider made to ensure the quality of care provided.
Updated
24 January 2019
What life is like for people using this service:
Systems were in place to identify people’s individual safety risks and to promote people’s safety. Staff were available to meet people’s needs and support them to enjoy activities and other opportunities to maintain their interests. Staff provided people with support to have the medicines they needed to remain well and encouraged people to follow good infection control and food hygiene practices.
People were supported to make decisions about all aspects of their life; this was underpinned by the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People were encouraged to have choice and control of their lives and to make decisions about their care. Staff gained consent before supporting people.
People were involved in food shopping and planning and cooking the meals they wanted. Staff encouraged people to eat a balanced diet to maintain their health. People were supported to attend healthcare appointments when required to ensure their health was maintained and their needs met.
Staff treated people with kindness and knew what was important and mattered to them. Staff had received training in understanding equality and diversity to ensure each person’s individual needs were met and their right to privacy was respected. People were supported to maintain their life skills which promoted their independence.
Care plans reflected people’s needs and preferences and guided staff on how to respond to those needs in a way people preferred.
Staff felt confident in their roles and understood their responsibilities because they received on-going training and support from the manager. The manager was described as 'approachable' and frequently worked with people so knew them well.
People were encouraged to make their views about the service known and felt listened to. The provider had systems to check the quality of care provided so people continued to receive a service that met their needs and promoted their wellbeing.
More information is available in the full report
Rating at last inspection: Good. The last report was published on 29 July 2016.
About the service: HF Trust - Warwickshire DCA is registered to provide personal care to people with a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder. There were seven people using the service at the time of our inspection.
Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. The service remained rated Good overall.
Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.