We carried out a review of the data available to us about YourLife (Wallington) on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about YourLife (Wallington), you can give feedback on this service.
YourLife (Wallington) provides personal care for people who live in their own, privately owned, flats at Elles House. At the time of this inspection the service was providing personal care to six people. Most people required minimal support from staff to meet their personal care needs.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The provider recruited staff who were suitable to work with people and people using the service were involved in staff recruitment. Although there were some staff vacancies this did not affect the care people received as shifts were filled through overtime. The provider assessed risks relating to people’s care and put in place guidance for staff to follow to reduce the risks. Medicines management systems were robust and the provider checked each week that people received their medicines as prescribed. Staff followed suitable practices to reduce the risks of infection when caring for people.
Staff received a suitable induction, regular training and supervision to help them understand their role. Most people did not require support from staff in relation to their healthcare needs. However, the registered manager ensured staff were aware of any support needs as these were set out in people’s care plans. Staff understood people’s needs and preferences relating to eating and drinking and people could dine at the restaurant on-site run by a different provider. 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.
People and relatives liked the staff who provided support and described them positively. People received consistency of care from the small number of staff who worked for the service. Care was personalised to meet people’s needs and preferences. Some people received social and emotional support from staff. People could access group activities at Elles House. The provider could provide information to people in alternative formats to meet people’s communication needs. The provider had a suitable process in place to respond to any concerns or complaints.
A registered manager was in post who understood their role and responsibilities, as did staff. People, relatives and staff told us the service was well-led and the provider had systems to gather people’s views and experiences. The provider had good oversight of the service and worked with other professionals to ensure people received the care they required.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and follow up
The last rating for this service was good (report published June 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.
Yourlife (Wallington) provides personal care and support to older people living in a purpose built ‘extra care scheme’ called Elles House where they owned their own self-contained flats. Elles House has facilities including a restaurant, a laundry, communal lounges and a room available for homeowners to hire for functions. There were seven people using the service at the time of our inspection who all had low support needs.
The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the 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 and staff knew how to respond to keep people safe if they suspected they were being abused. Staff received training in safeguarding adults at risk and the registered manager talked about safeguarding topics with staff regularly to keep their knowledge up to date.
Staff managed people’s medicines safely through robust processes. Only staff who had received training in medicines administration and had been assessed as competent were permitted to manage people’s medicines. Staff completed records relating to medicines management appropriately.
Risks to people were mitigated because the registered manager ensured they were assessed with suitable risk management plans in place for staff to follow.
Staff were recruited through robust procedures to check their suitability to work with people. There were enough staff deployed to work with people and meet their needs.
Staff were supported through a programme of induction, training and supervision. The registered manager and staff understood the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and people were supported in line with it.
Staff were kind and caring and respected people’s privacy and dignity. People were involved in making decisions about the care they received.
Although some information in the complaints policy required updating, the organisation’s process for responding to complaints internally was appropriate and people were aware of how to complain.
Staff knew how people wanted to receive their care, their backgrounds and the people who were important to them and this information was recorded in people’s care plans for staff to refer to. Staff used the information in people’s care plans to provide care to them in the ways which met their needs.
The registered manager reviewed people’s risk assessments and care plans regularly to ensure information in them remained current and reliable for staff to follow.
The registered manager and staff had a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities. The provider had a range of systems to monitor and assess the quality of the service including gathering and acting on the views of people who used the service and care workers. The registered manager encouraged open communication with people and staff.