Oldham

Updated 9 September 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by 1 inspector and an Expert 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 ‘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.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

Inspection activity started on 3 August 2023 and ended on 14 August 2023. We visited the location’s services on the 3 and 7 August 2023.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 10 people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 15 members of staff including the registered manager, head of care, nominated individual, senior care workers and care workers. We made observations of people’s support throughout the inspection. We also spoke with 2 professionals who were visiting the service.

The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 5 people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at 4 staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were reviewed. We contacted further case managers working with the service by email and received 2 responses.

Updated 9 September 2023

About the service

Oldham is a supported living service providing personal care. The service provides support to autistic people and people with a learning disability living in their own homes, some of whom had a history of offending. People had their own tenancy agreements for their flats or homes. Several flats were in the two buildings situated next to each other, where there was also an office for the service. Some people shared a flat, having their own bedroom and sharing the kitchen, lounge and bathroom. Other people lived on their own. Most people had the support of waking night staff. At the time of our inspection there were 18 people using the service.

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.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Right Support

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. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. Staff had training and support for their roles and knew people well. Staff had been safely recruited. Staff supported people to be independent and involved in daily activities where possible. People were supported to maintain a healthy diet.

Right Care

People received their medicines as prescribed. People’s needs were assessed before moving to the service and a transition period was used to review their support needs and ensure their needs were being met. Person-centred support plans and risk assessments were in place and regularly reviewed. People’s wishes for their end-of-life care were recorded where they had wanted to discuss this.

Right Culture

People were positive about their support, and we observed good interactions between people and staff throughout the inspection. People were asked for their feedback on their care and they and, where applicable their families, were involved in planning and agreeing their care. People’s cultural needs were being met. Staff enjoyed working at the service and felt able to raise any ideas or concerns they had with the management team. A quality assurance system was in place and incidents were reviewed to identify any lessons learnt. The registered manager understood the duty of candour.

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 16 March 2018).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.