Barrow and South Lakes

Updated 1 May 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.

The inspection took place between 8 February and 27 March 2018 and was announced. We contacted the service on 7 February 2018 to arrange our visit on 8 February 2018 because we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be available to speak with us.

The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector and an adult social care inspection manager.

Inspection site visit activity started on 8 February and ended on 27 March 2018. We visited the service offices on 8 February and 27 March 2018 to speak to the registered manager and to look at records held. At the time of our inspection the service provided personal care to two people. During our inspection we spoke with one person who received personal care and with a relative of the second person. We also spoke with three staff members. We looked at the care records for both people who received personal care, the recruitment records for two staff and training records for the staff team. We also looked at records relating to how the service was managed and how the registered manager and registered provider checked the quality and safety of the service. We spoke with one person’s social worker and with a health care professional who supported the second person.

Updated 1 May 2018

We carried out this announced inspection between 8 February and 27 March 2018.

The service was registered in January 2017. This was our first inspection of the service since it was registered. We contacted the service on 7 February to arrange our visit for 8 February 2018 because this is a small service and we needed to be sure the registered manager would be available to speak with us.

Barrow and South Lakes provides personal care and support to adults who have mental health needs. The service provides support to people living in their own homes in Barrow-in-Furness, Ulverston, Kendal and the surrounding areas of Cumbria. At the time of the inspection two people received personal care from the service.

This service provides care and support to people living in ‘supported living’ settings and also to people living in their own homes in the local community. Supported living services involve a person living in their own home and receiving care and/or support in order to promote their independence. 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.

Most people using the service did not receive regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

There was a registered manager employed to run the service. 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.

People received the support they needed to remain safe and to meet their needs.

There were enough staff to provide people’s care and support. The staff were trained and competent to carry out their roles.

Medicines were handled safely and people were supported to handle their own medicines.

People were protected against abuse and avoidable harm.

The service worked in partnership with health and social care services to promote positive outcomes for people and to ensure they received the support they required.

People were treated with kindness and respect. The staff identified if a person felt anxious and supported them to reduce their anxiety.

Care was planned and provided to meet people’s needs and to promote their independence.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People were included in decisions about their support and the choices they made were respected.

The registered provider had a procedure for responding to complaints about the service. People were asked for their views about the service they received and knew how they could raise concerns.

The registered manager and registered provider checked on the quality and safety of the service.