Archived: Absolute Support (London) Limited

Updated 29 March 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 checked 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.

Inspection site visit activity started on 31 January 2018 and ended on 15 February 2018. The provider was given notice because the location provides a domiciliary care and supported living service. The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

We spent the first day at the office of the care service. On the second day of the inspection we visited two supported living services and spoke to seven clients about the support they received. We also attended a house meeting held at one service.

We met with the registered manager and four staff members. We looked at records held in the office and supported living services relating to client’s support and the day to day running of the service. These included support plans, risk assessments, staff rotas, policies and procedures and recruitment records.

Feedback was additionally received by email from six relatives of clients using the service.

Updated 29 March 2018

Absolute Support (London) Limited provides care and support to people living in three ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live in their own home 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.

Not everyone using the services of Absolute Support (London) Limited receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. There were 9 people receiving support with ‘personal care’ when we inspected.

This was our first inspection of Absolute Support (London) Limited. The visits were announced and were carried out on 31 January and 15 February 2018. The provider was given notice because the location provides a domiciliary care and supported living service. We needed to be sure that someone would be in at the location office in Tolworth and we then arranged to meet with people in their homes during our second visit.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

Throughout the rest of this report people who use the service are referred to as clients in line with their preferences.

Clients and their relatives were positive about the care and support provided by Absolute Support (London) Limited. Clients told us they felt safe and that staff treated them with dignity and respect. They were happy with the support provided which was meeting their individual needs.

Training on the safeguarding of adults had been completed and the staff were aware of their responsibilities for keeping clients safe from avoidable harm or abuse. Client’s needs were assessed and any risks associated with their support were identified and monitored.

Clients were supported by staff who were trained and well supported in their job roles. Appropriate checks were carried out for people wishing to join the staff team. Clients were involved in the recruitment process and new staff provided with an induction into the service.

Clients felt there were enough staff members suitably deployed to meet their current support needs. Staffing rotas showed that appropriate numbers of staff were available. Staff we spoke with were confident that they provided a good service to the clients and said they would recommend Absolute Support (London) Limited to others.

The staff team had received training in the management of medicines. The clients were supported to take their medicines as prescribed in a safe way.

Clients were supported to maintain their health. The staff team supported individuals to eat a balanced and healthy diet which reflected their preferences.

The service understood and complied with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005. Clients were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. They were supported to be independent, follow their interests and take part in activities they enjoyed. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Clients knew what to do if they had a concern and they were reminded of this through meetings and on-going conversations with the staff team.

The service was well led. The registered manager monitored the quality of the service and made changes to improve the service provided when required. Clients, their relatives and staff found the management team to be approachable and responsive.