Archived: L'Arche Preston

L'Arche Preston is a supported living service providing personal care to seven people at the time of the inspection; living with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder, older people and younger adults.

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

Medicines were managed safely; individual and environmental risks had been assessed. Staff were recruited safely to the service. We observed staff supporting people during the inspection.

Records contained information about how to support people’s needs, where relevant capacity assessments had been completed. 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. Staff had the knowledge and skills to deliver effective care. We received positive feedback about the care people received and they were treated with dignity. People told us they were happy with the service. We observed kind interactions between staff and people, it was clear staff knew people’s needs well.

Care records included information about how to support people’s individual needs. Relatives confirmed they had been involved in discussions in relation to people’s care. Activities were provided to people both in their own homes as well as the local community. People’s communication needs had been considered. Systems to investigate and act on complaints had been developed.

We received positive feedback about the manager. The views of people, staff and relatives was sought. Team meetings took place. The service demonstrated the improvements and partnership working that had been taking place in the service.

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 3 June 2017).

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.

This was the first inspection since L’Arche was registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

There was a registered manager in place. 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.

The registered manager had procedures in place to minimise the potential risk of abuse or unsafe care. Staff spoken with were able to identify the different types of abuse and had received training in safeguarding adults. We confirmed this by talking with staff and the management team.

Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of harm to people. These had been kept under review and were relevant to support and care provided.

People who used the service had their medicines administered in a safe manner and they received their medicines on time. Staff had received related training to ensure medicines were administered correctly by trained staff.

Staff received regular training and were knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities. They had the skills, knowledge and experience required to support people with complex needs and promote their independence.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

We found people had access to health and social care professionals and their healthcare needs were met.

Care plans were organised and had identified care and support people required. We found they were informative about support and what care people had received. They had been kept under review and updated when necessary to reflect people’s changing needs.

We observed many examples of staff supporting people with a caring, sensitive and respectful approach. In addition comments we received from people being supported and relatives confirmed this. One relative said, “Excellent staff it has taken a while to get the service up and running but they are wonderful people.”

People were provided with support and guidance to meet their aims and goals and be part of the local community. For example attending local colleges and public building events. One staff member said, “We are out and about in the community and involved in learning disability projects that are planned.”

We found staff, people being supported and relatives were at the centre of L’Arche’s quality assurance programme. The management team had a range of systems to gain their feedback. This included meetings with people who used the service and their relatives. Staff, people who used the service and relatives told us the service was organised and well-led.

The registered manager used other methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service. These included staff meetings, meetings with health and social care professionals and quality audits.