Background to this inspection
Updated
25 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 was carried out by one inspector
Service and service type
The service provides care and support to people living in ‘supported living’ settings, 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 24 hours' notice of our inspection, so they could provide people who used the service with the opportunity to meet with us and to ensure we could gain access to the documentation that was maintained by the service.
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 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 10 staff including support staff, senior support staff, assistant service managers, service managers and the registered manager.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and medicine records. We looked at three staff recruitment files and a variety of records relating to the management of the service.
After the inspection
We spoke with a professional who had regular contact with the service. The provider sent us information about the impact and outcomes for people using the service.
Updated
25 January 2020
About the service
Mencap-Mansfield Domiciliary Care Agency is a supported living service providing personal care to adults with learning disabilities, autism and other complex needs. At the time of the inspection 47 people were being supported.
People lived in their own accommodation either in a flat within a complex, a house with shared communal areas or a flat or bungalow in the community.
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 had detailed personalised plans of care in place to enable staff to provide consistent care and support in line with people’s personal preferences. The risk management plans mitigated any risks identified. They had developed positive and trusting relationships with staff which kept them safe from harm or abuse.
There were enough staff to support people in the way they wished, and the provider had undertaken recruitment checks which assured people were cared for by suitable staff. People were protected against the risk of infection and received their medicines on time.
People were supported to maintain good health and nutrition. Information was provided to people in an accessible format to enable them to make decisions about their care and support.
People were supported to have maximum choice and controls of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive ways possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People were well cared for and supported to live as full a life as possible within their local community. They were enabled to pursue their interests and be involved with activities within the community.
Staff encouraged and supported people to fulfil their aspirations and desires. They had the knowledge and skills to support people in the way they wished, respecting their individuality and encouraging them to remain as independent as possible.
People knew how to raise a concern or make a complaint and the provider had implemented effective systems to manage any complaints received.
The service had a positive ethos and an open culture. The registered manager was approachable, understood the needs of people, and listened to staff and relatives. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and drive improvements.
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 14 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.