Archived: St Georges Supported Living

Updated 13 January 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.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector on 5 December 2017 and was announced. We gave the provider notice as we wanted to ensure that someone would be available to support us with the inspection.

Before the inspection we reviewed relevant information that we had about the provider. We also received a provider information return (PIR) from the service. A PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We made contact with social and health professionals that the service worked with to obtain feedback about the service.

During the inspection we visited the providers head office and the supported living site. We reviewed documents and records that related to people’s care and the management of the service. We reviewed two people’s care plans, which included risk assessments and three staff files, which included pre-employment checks. We looked at other documents held at the service such as medicines, training and quality assurance records. We spoke to the registered manager, two care staff and two people who received care from the service.

Updated 13 January 2018

We carried out an announced inspection of 527 Green Lane on 5 December 2017. This service provides care and support to people living in supported living setting, so that they can live as independently as possible. At the time of the inspection, three people were living at the supported living site. 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. This was the first inspection of the service since they registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The service had 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 legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and the associated regulations on how the service is managed.

A comprehensive pre-employment check for one staff member had not been carried out to ensure the staff member was fit and suitable to provide care and support to people safely. We made a recommendation in this area.

Risks had been identified and information and processes had been put in place on how to mitigate risks to ensure people received safe care. Staff were aware of how to identify abuse and knew who to report abuse to, both within the organisation and outside the organisation. Medicines were managed safely and people had been receiving their prescribed medicines. Staff told us they had time to provide person centred care and had enough staff to support people. There were systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. Staff had been trained on infection control and knew how to ensure risks of infection were minimised when supporting people.

Staff had received training required to perform their roles effectively. People were cared for by staff who felt supported. Staff had received regular supervisions and told us that they were supported in their role. Staff knew the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Assessments had been carried out using the MCA to determine if people had capacity to make certain decisions. People’s care and support needs were assessed regularly for effective outcomes. The service worked with health professionals if there were concerns about people’s health. Staff could identify the signs people gave when they were not feeling well and knew who to report to.

People told us that they had a positive relationship with staff, that staff were caring and their privacy and dignity were respected. People were involved with making decisions about their care.

Care plans were person centred and detailed people’s preferences, interests and support needs. People knew how to make complaints and staff were aware of how to manage complaints.

Staff told us the culture within the service was open and transparent and told us the service was well-led. People and staff were positive about the registered manager. People’s feedback was sought through regular review meetings and surveys had been recently sent to people and professionals involved in people’s care for feedback.