Background to this inspection
Updated
11 December 2019
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 eight supported living settings so that they can live as independently as possible. The main office is based in Newark but the service supports people in Mansfield, Newark and Nottingham. 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. Fitzroy Support at Home also provides an outreach service.
The service had two managers 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 3 days’ notice of our inspection. This was to ensure there would be people and staff available in the supported living tenancies to speak with us. Inspection activity started on 13 November 2019 and ended on 25 November 2019. We visited the office location on 13 November 2019 and visited people in their homes on 13 and 14 November 2019. We spoke with relatives on the telephone on 25 November 2019.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we held about the service. This included the previous inspection reports and notifications. Notifications contain information about events the manager must tell us about. For example, safeguarding concerns, serious injuries and deaths, that have occurred at the service. We gathered feedback from organisations that were involved with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We visited the office and reviewed a range of records. These included three staff recruitment files and supervision and training records. We reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service. We spoke with one of the registered managers, the service manager and three support workers. We spoke with two people who received support from the service. We spoke on the telephone with six relatives.
We visited four supported living settings where we looked at people’s care records and health and safety checks and observed staff interactions with the people who lived there.
Updated
11 December 2019
About the service
Fitzroy Support at Home – Nottinghamshire, is part of a national charity. It provides care and support to people living in their own homes and in supported living tenancies. It supports people with a wide range of needs, including people with a learning disability, autism, complex physical needs and mental health needs. It also provides an outreach service.
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 were complimentary about the service and its staff. People who used the service and relatives told us staff were caring and kind. We saw that staff had developed close relationships with the people they supported. People’s dignity and privacy were respected and staff helped people set goals and encouraged them to increase or maintain their independence.
There was a positive workplace culture. Staff told us they enjoyed their job and were proud to work for the organisation. They said they felt listened to and supported by the management team.
Staff and management were well trained and had the support and supervision they needed to carry out their roles to a high standard.
Staff were aware of how to report any concerns about neglect or abuse and were confident they would be addressed. There were systems in place to ensure only staff who were suitable to work with vulnerable people were recruited.
People were supported safely and risks regarding their care were assessed and met. Staff took measures to prevent and control the spread of infection. There were systems in place for the safe management of medicines so that people received their medicines as prescribed.
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.
There were quality assurance processes in place and information from accidents, incidents, complaints, audits and feedback was used to drive improvement.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The rating at the last inspection of this service was good (report published March 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 inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.