Background to this inspection
Updated
21 January 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 team consisted of 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 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 10 October 2019 and ended on 20 October 2019. We visited the office location on 14 October 2019.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. 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 spoke with four people who used the service and two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, and care staff.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.
Updated
21 January 2020
About the service
Sanctuary Supported Living (Hazel Court) provides care and support to people living in 'supported living' accommodation, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. There were 14 flats available at the site. People's care and housing are provided under separate agreements. At the time of this inspection there were eight people who received support with personal care. Sanctuary Supported Living (Hazel Court) provides support for adults with learning disabilities. Not everyone who used the service received 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.
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 supported by knowledgeable, skilled staff who knew how to keep them safe and protect them from avoidable harm. People had their risks assessed and staff were guided to manage these safely. People had their medicines as prescribed and there were safe systems in place to monitor these. Staff understood and followed infection control and prevention procedures. Systems were in place to investigate and monitor incidents and accidents to ensure actions were completed and improvements made.
People's needs and preferences were assessed, and support planned to meet legislation and good practice guidance. People were supported by staff who were trained, and skills maintained to ensure people’s needs were met. 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 were in place to support this practice.
People received support from kind and caring staff, who built friendships with the people they supported. People were at the heart of the support arranged and encouraged to be as independent as possible. The management team sought people’s views and acted on people’s ideas for improvements. People's privacy was respected, and their dignity maintained.
People were supported to achieve their goals and meet their needs. The service was adaptable and flexible to support people’s preferences. Staff had the information they needed to provide personalised support and understood people’s health needs. People's concerns were listened to and changes made to improve the service. When people needed support at the end of their life the service had skilled staff and systems in place to meet people’s needs.
People knew the management team and staff and were confident with them. The management team continually monitored the quality of the service and ensured improvements were sustained. The management team and staff established good relationships with other professionals and links in the community.
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance consistently. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.
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 23 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 re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.