Background to this inspection
Updated
12 July 2019
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
This inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service provides care and support to people living in ‘supported living’ setting, 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.
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.
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We visited two people in their own homes and spoke with five family members to ask about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records; this included people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
Updated
12 July 2019
About the service
Voyage (DCA) (Northwest) is registered to provide personal care to people in their own homes in the Wigan, St Helens, Ellesmere Port, Wirral and Crewe areas. People had varying degrees of support, including those with learning disabilities, acquired brain injury, autism and/or mental health needs. During this inspection 14 people were receiving support with personal care.
People using the service either lived in their own flats or houses and received support from staff over varied number of agreed hours. However, some people were living in ‘supported living’ settings and had access to staff support 24 hours a day. The supported living setting included seven single occupancy houses with sleeping facilities for staff. A separate office building was available within the row of houses located in a residential area in Wigan.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.
Staff were motivated to deliver care and support that was person-centred and based on people’s needs and preferences. People were encouraged and supported to be as independent as possible. People’s needs and choices and had been assessed and planned for. Care plans identified intended outcomes for people and how they were to be met in a way they preferred.
People and family members spoke positively about the caring approach of the staff team and how well they knew people’s needs. Positive relationships had been developed between staff and people using the service. People and family members told us staff treated them with kindness, compassion and respect and observations showed that staff interacted well with people.
People told us they felt safe whilst being supported by staff and were confident they were well looked after. People living within the ‘supported living’ settings told us they felt safe because staff were available whenever they needed them. Staff showed a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities of keeping people safe from harm.
Risks to people had been assessed and those identified were managed safely by competent staff. Where people required support with medication this was managed safely; people and family members confirmed that medication was received at the right times.
People were supported to access a range of social activities that were based on their interests and goals. Activities were used as a way to help develop independence, skill development and healthy living. People spoke positively about the activities they accessed and told us everything they did was their choice.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
The leadership of the service promoted person-centred care and a positive culture within the staff team. The newly recruited registered manager was open and transparent and had identified areas in need of improvement which had already been implemented. Positive comments had been received by people, family members and staff regarding the changes they had already made to the running of the service. Effective quality assurance systems supported with the continuous learning and development of the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 22 December 2016).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.