Background to this inspection
Updated
11 July 2018
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
This inspection took place on 25 and 26 June 2018 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice of our intention to inspect the service because we needed to be sure that someone would be available in the registered office to speak with us.
The inspection team consisted of one adult social care inspector.
Before our inspection, we reviewed the information we held about the service including notifications the provider had sent to us. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. Prior to the inspection, we also asked for feedback about the service from a number of community based professionals. We did not ask the provider to complete a Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
On the first day of the inspection, we visited the registered office to speak with the registered manager, the CEO and two members of staff. We also reviewed the care records of one person who used the service, three staff personnel files, training records and a sample of records relating to the running of the service. During our visit to the registered office, we observed interactions between staff and a person who used the service when they called in to collect some records.
On the second day of the inspection, with permission we visited one person who used the service in their own home. During this visit, we also spoke with a member of staff.
Updated
11 July 2018
An announced comprehensive inspection took place on 25 and 26 June 2018. We had previously carried out a focused inspection in November 2017 to check whether the provider had taken action in relation to breaches of regulations we had identified during a comprehensive inspection in June 2017. At the focused inspection we found the systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service were not sufficiently robust. We also found the provider had failed to act in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).
Following the inspection in November 2017, the provider sent us an action plan which confirmed all required actions would be completed by December 2017. This comprehensive inspection was carried out to confirm that all required improvements had been made.
Paramount Care & Safety Ltd specialises in providing support to adults with learning disabilities. This service provides care and support to people living in 'supported living’ settings, so that they can live in their own home 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. At the time of this inspection there were three people supported by the service in two separate properties.
Since the last inspection a manager had successfully registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC 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 was supported in the day to day running of the service by the general manager who was also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the service.
During this inspection we found there were no breaches of the regulations of the Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. At this inspection we found the evidence to support the rating of ‘Good’. However, we identified improvements needed to be made to ensure inappropriate restrictions were not placed on people.
Improvements had been made to the arrangements in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service. The managers in the service demonstrated a commitment to ongoing service development.
Staff were safely recruited. Robust processes were in place to make sure all appropriate checks were carried out before staff started working at the service. There were enough staff available to provide the care and support people were assessed as needing. During the inspection, we observed positive and respectful interactions between people who used the service and staff.
Staff were aware of the signs and indicators of abuse and they knew how to report any concerns. Staff had received training on supporting people safely.
Systems were in place to maintain a safe environment for people who used the service and others.
Arrangements were in place to gather information on people’s backgrounds, their needs, abilities and preferences before they used the service. Each person had a care plan, describing their individual needs and choices. This provided guidance for staff on how to deliver support. People had been involved with planning and reviewing their care, using technology and communication tools to do so.
We found people were effectively supported with their healthcare needs and medical appointments. Changes in people’s health and well-being were monitored and responded to.
People used pictures and photographs to choose the meals they wanted. Staff told us they tried to encourage people to eat a healthy and balanced diet.
People’s privacy, individuality and dignity was respected. They were supported with their hobbies and interests, including activities in the local community and keeping in touch with their relatives and friends.
There were processes in place for dealing with complaints. There was a formal procedure to manage, investigate and respond to people’s complaints and concerns.
People who used the service, staff, relatives and professionals were encouraged to provide feedback about the service. We noted positive comments had been received from a number of people.