Archived: TL Care UK

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes the number of different methods we used to help us understand the experiences of people who used the service. During our inspection we visited the provider's office and one supported living scheme. We looked at two copies of people's care records held in the office and one person's care record held within their home. We looked at the provider's, policies and procedures; we undertook observations, we spoke with three out of 11 people who used the service, two staff members. We also spoke with the manager and Group Supported Living manager.

If you want to see the evidence that supports our summary please read the full report.

Is the service safe?

In the care records we looked at we saw that risk assessments regarding people's individual care and support were carried out. We saw that measures were in place to minimise those risks whilst supporting a person's right to live as independent a life as possible.

The Care Quality Commission monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLs), which applies to care services. The provider advised us that, at the time of our inspection, no Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard (DoLS) applications had been made for people who used the service. The provider demonstrated to us their knowledge and we saw that they had DoLs and Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) policies and procedures in place.

We looked at three staff recruitment records and these showed us that pre-employment safety checks to ensure that staff were of a good character and deemed suitable to work with vulnerable adults took place.

Is the service effective?

We saw that documents held within people's care records were in an easy read/pictorial format to ensure that people using the service understood the care and support they had agreed to. One person we spoke with told us that, 'Staff give (me a) choice and staff will try to prompt me to eat a healthier diet.' Another person said, 'Happy here, staff are kind and give me a choice.'

People's care and support needs had been assessed and plans were in place within the care records we looked at. On speaking to staff members they were able to show us their knowledge of people who used the service including their individual care and support needs.

Is the service caring?

People we spoke with told us that staff spoke nicely to them and were kind. During our observations we saw that staff interacted with people who used the service in a respectful and polite manner.

Care records we looked at demonstrated to us that people were supported to live as independent a life as possible with assistance from staff. We found that people's equality and diversity, interests and likes and dislikes were recorded.

Is the service responsive?

In the care records we saw, we noted that health and social care professionals were involved in people's support and care. We saw documented evidence that people were supported to attend external healthcare appointments.

The provider gave people and their relatives the opportunity to raise any concerns that they may have and we saw that the provider responded to complaints made in a timely manner.

Is the service well-led?

People who used the service, their relatives and health and social care professionals were given the opportunity to feedback on the quality of service provided.

The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality of the service provided on an on-going basis. Records showed that incidents/accidents were looked at on a monthly basis and any actions taken or learning as a result of these incidents were reported to the company's management.

The registered manager named in the report was not the registered manager in post on the day of our inspection. They appear in this report as they are still registered on our system.

Prior to our visit we reviewed all the information we had received from the provider. During the visit we visited the office and spoke with the manager and the provider's group supported living manager. We also looked at some of the records held there including the care files for four people. We visited one supported living property and spoke with three people who used the service and asked them for their views. We observed the support people received from care workers and spoke with two care workers and a senior care worker.

We found that although people were consulted about the support they needed this was not always documented, or a record made to show the person had agreed with this. A person who was supported by the service told us, 'I sometimes see my file.' Another person told us, 'I normally do my own cooking, I have support. We all cook separate meals.'

The provider had reported some safeguarding concerns to the local authority safeguarding team that had not been reported as they should have been before the provider's management changes. A person who was supported by the service told us, 'I feel safe here, I have staff to advise me.'

We found the staff team were supported through training and the provider assessed and monitored the quality of the service. A person who was supported by the service told us, 'I trust them, they are doing their job. They do their best. I think they have improved.'