Background to this inspection
Updated
20 March 2019
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, 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 two inspectors 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: The service provides personal care to people living with learning disabilities in 50 supported living environments throughout Bradford.
A registered manager was in place. The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection:
We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection site visit because we had to gain consent from people before visiting them in their homes.
The inspection site visit activity started on 26 February and ended on 28 February. We visited the office location on 26 February to see the registered manager and office staff; and to review records and policies and procedures. On the 26 and 28 February we undertook visits to 8 supported living environments where we spoke with people who used the service and staff and reviewed care and support records. Following the inspection site visits we made phone calls to the relatives of three people who used the service.
What we did:
We asked the service to complete a Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed this prior to our visit.
We asked for feedback from the local authority and commissioning teams.
We spoke with the registered manager, two service managers and 12 support workers.
We spoke with 15 people who used the service and three relatives.
We observed staff interacting with people who could not tell us their opinions about their care and support.
We reviewed parts of eight people’s care records and other records and audits relating to the management of the service.
We asked the registered manager to send us further documents after the inspection. This was provided in a timely manner and this evidence was included as part of our inspection.
Updated
20 March 2019
About the service:
This service provides care and support to people with learning disabilities living in 50 supported living settings in Bradford, 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. At the time of the inspection 122 people were using the service.
The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice and independence. People using the service received planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
People’s experience of using this service:
The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principals and values of Registering the Right Support in the following ways; the service promoted choice, control and independence. Each person had a bespoke living environment with the staff team tailored around their individual needs. People’s support focused on increasing their opportunities and providing with them with skills to become more independent.
People received safe care and support. Risk management plans were in place to help keep people safe. People’s medicines were managed in a safe and proper way.
There were enough staff to ensure people received their required care and support. Staff received appropriate training and support to undertake their role.
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.
Staff were kind and compassionate and treated people well. Staff knew people well and how they liked their care and support to be delivered.
People had a range of care and support plans in place. Some of these needed updating and /or reviewing. We concluded better oversight of people’s care plans was needed to ensure key care related documentation was kept up-to-date
People and staff praised the way the service was managed. People received good, person centred care and had a say in how the service operated.
Rating at last inspection: This was the first inspection for the service since it registered with the Care Quality Commission in January 2018.
Why we inspected: This was a scheduled inspection which took place as we had not visited the service since it’s registration.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk