Background to this inspection
Updated
10 April 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 provides care and support to people living in a ‘supported living’ setting so that they can 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.
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 to ensure there was someone available 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 used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection-
We met five people who use the service and one relative. We spoke with the registered manager, deputy manager and one support worker. We reviewed three people’s care records, as well as other documentation relating to the running of the home such as complaints, medicines records and staff training.
After the inspection
We contacted two further members of staff by email.
Updated
10 April 2020
About the service
Seeability is a service providing personal care to people with learning difficulties and/or sensory impairments. At the time of our inspection there were nine people receiving support with personal care.
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
People received good care and support. The service had experienced some difficulties in recruiting and retaining a consistent staff team and this had led to some anxieties for people. However, there were robust plans in place to recruit and retain staff in order to rely less on agency staff.
People told us they felt safe. The inconsistencies in staffing had caused some concern for people, particularly in relation to their skills and training. However, we saw that there were procedures in place to induct agency staff and ensure they had clear information about people they were to support. Prior to the inspection there had been a number of medicines errors at the service. The registered manager had recognised this as a concern and taken action in response.
Staff were positive about the training and support they received and felt like senior staff were approachable and supportive. People were supported to maintain their health and nutrition.
The service was responsive and person centred in nature and took account of people’s individual needs and wishes. Care plans were reviewed regularly to ensure they were up to date and reflected people’s current needs. People were supported to take part in activities they enjoyed. People felt able to raise concerns and issues and felt confident they would be responded to.
The service was well led. The registered manager understood the responsibilities of their role; they were supported by a deputy manager and senior support staff. There were systems in place to monitor the safety and quality of the service.
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.
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 (published 5 September 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.