Background to this inspection
Updated
25 April 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, one assistant inspector and two Experts by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
This service provides care and support to people living in 34 ‘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 did not have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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. However, the manager had applied to become the registered manager.
Notice of inspection
We gave a short period of notice of the inspection because some of the people using it could not consent to a home visits or calls from the inspection. This meant that we had to arrange for the appropriate consent and ‘best interests’ decision about this.
What we did before inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We looked at the notifications we had received for this service. Notifications are information about important events the service is required to send us by law. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with six relatives and seven people about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff, three home managers, the provider and the manager. We visited one ‘supported living’ setting and we reviewed a range of records. This included 10 people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. 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.
Updated
25 April 2020
About the service
Choice Supported Living - East is a supported living service that supports people with learning and other difficulties which impact on their ability to live independently. The service assists people to hold their own tenancies to enable them to live in their own homes. It aims to support and encourage people to become as independent as possible. At the time of our inspection 79 people were receiving personal care.
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 and their relatives were positive about the service and the care provided. People were cared for by staff who knew how to keep them safe and protect them from avoidable harm. People received their medicines as planned and systems were in place for the safe management of medicines.
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's dignity, confidentiality and privacy were respected, and their independence was promoted. People's rights to make their own decisions were upheld.
Incidents and accidents were investigated, and actions were taken to prevent recurrence. Enough staff were available to support and meet people's needs. Training records showed, and our observations confirmed staff followed infection control and prevention procedures.
Care was delivered by staff who were well trained and knowledgeable about people's care and support needs. People's needs were assessed, and care was planned and delivered to meet legislation and good practice guidance. People were encouraged to maintain good diet and access health services when required.
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 27 May 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 reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.