Background to this inspection
Updated
17 August 2023
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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
The inspection was completed by 1 inspector.
Service and service type
This service provides care and support to 30 people living in 9 ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live as independently as possible. We found 5 people were receiving the regulated activity of 'personal care'. 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.
Registered Manager
This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post. The provider is also the registered manager.
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.
Inspection activity started on 20 July 2023 and ended on 26 July 2023. We visited the location’s office on 20 and 24 July 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return [PIR] prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers 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. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We communicated with 4 people who used the service and 2 people’s relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 4 members of support staff, the registered provider, service director and operations manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included 5 people's care records and 3 people’s medication records. We looked at 4 staff personnel files in relation to the service’s recruitment, induction, and supervision practices. A variety of records relating to the registered provider’s governance, quality assurance and management of the service were also viewed.
Updated
17 August 2023
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.
About the service
Shaf Lodge is a Supported Living Scheme providing the regulated activity of personal care and support to people living in rented accommodation with a tenancy agreement in place. The service supports autistic people and people with a learning disability; and those with mental health needs in small houses in residential areas, for between 2 and 5 people. The service can support up to 30 people in total within 9 Supported Living Schemes.
Not everyone who used the service received the regulated activity of 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 our inspection 5 people were receiving the regulated activity of personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Right Support:
Staff supported people to have the maximum possible choice, control, and independence over their own lives.
Staff supported people to take part in activities and pursue their interests in their local community.
Staff supported people to make decisions following best practice in decision-making. Staff communicated with people in ways that met their needs.
Staff supported people with their medicines.
Right Care:
People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity. They understood and responded to their individual needs.
Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. The service worked well with other agencies to do so. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse.
The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe.
People’s support plans reflected their range of needs.
Where appropriate people were supported to take positive risks.
Right Culture:
People received good quality care and support.
Staff knew and understood people well and were responsive to their care and support needs.
Management and staff put people’s needs and wishes at the heart of everything they did.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was Requires Improvement [published 30 November 2021]
The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
Why we inspected
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of this service between 6 and 13 October 2021. Breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve the need for consent, safe care and treatment and good governance.
We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions of ‘Safe’, ‘Effective’ and ‘Well-Led’ which contain those requirements.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Shaf Lodge on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.