4 December 2019
During a routine inspection
Choice Support is a supported living service which was providing personal care to 72 people at the time of inspection. People received support in 40 houses and flats around London.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.
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 possible 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 receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The provider, management and staff took best practice seriously and worked with organisations to develop systems which promoted people’s health and wellbeing. People were integral to the running of the service and had clear links to management and the main office. There were a variety of audits which people and staff took part in, as well as regular surveys and meetings. There was a clear system of delegation that enabled oversight across all of the supported living schemes which were registered to the main office.
People told us they were involved in their care and we saw multiple examples of people setting and achieving their own goals and developing their independence. Care planning was personalised and focused on people’s aspirations and aims to develop relationships, find new hobbies or start education or employment. People regularly achieved goals and developed skills to improve their quality of life.
Risks to people were managed safely with a focus on enabling people to identify and understand risks themselves. Staff understood how to provide safe support to people and knew how to identify and respond to potential abuse. There were enough staff deployed to ensure people’s needs were met as planned.
Staff worked alongside healthcare professionals to meet people’s needs and administered people’s medicines safely. 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.
People told us they got on well with staff and we observed positive interactions which showed a camaraderie and strong working relationships with staff. Care was planned and delivered in a way that focused on people’s diversity and promoted people’s dignity.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Why we inspected
This service was registered with us on 28 January 2019 and this is the first inspection.
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.