Archived: 1a North Court

This service provides care and support for up to eight people living in a ‘supported living’ setting so that they can live as independently as possible.

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.

The service is a spacious supported living setting where people have their own flats with communal areas to use should they wish. Staff were seen wearing everyday clothing that didn’t identify them as care staff when coming and going with people. The service was registered for the support of up to eight people. Seven people were using the service at the time of the inspection.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People were safe and protected from abuse by staff that understood how to protect people and report their concerns.

Potential risks to people were assessed and measures put in place to mitigate these. If accidents or incidents occurred, staff took action to reduce the risk of similar incidents happening again.

There were enough staff on each shift to meet people's needs and keep them safe.

The provider's recruitment procedures helped ensure only suitable staff were employed.

Medicines were managed safely, and staff maintained appropriate standards of hygiene and infection control.

People had their needs assessed and plans were put in place to meet them. The service was adapted to meet individual needs. Staff had an induction and received on-going training and the support they needed to carry out their roles.

People were supported by a consistent staff team who knew them and their needs well.

Staff worked effectively with each another and engaged other agencies about people's needs. People had their health needs met and support from health professionals was sought as required.

People were supported to have 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 principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance ensure people with a learning disability and or autism who use a service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best outcomes that include control, choice and independence. At this inspection the provider had ensured they were applied.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

People were communicated with effectively and were involved in planning their care. Staff encouraged people to make choices about their care and respected their decisions. Staff treated people with respect and maintained their dignity when supporting them.

People were supported in a person-centred way and were provided with a variety of opportunities to go out and take part in activities.

The registered manager knew people and staff well and had a positive attitude towards making improvements in people's lives. The quality of the service was checked on a regular basis and the provider sought ways to learn and make changes and improvements.

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 18 April 2017)

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

1A North Court provides personal care for up to eight people with learning and physical disabilities in their own homes. At the time of the inspection eight people were using the service.

There was a registered manager in post, however they were absent on the day of the inspection. 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.

The provider did not ensure themselves that agency staff working at the service were fit and of good character.

Risks of harm to people were assessed and minimised through the effective use of risk assessments.

People were receiving their medicines from trained staff when required.

There were sufficient numbers of suitably trained staff to meet people's needs safely. Permanent staff were recruited through safe procedures.

People were safeguarded from abuse as staff and the management knew what to do when they suspected potential abuse. The local safeguarding procedures were being followed.

People were receiving care from staff that felt supported and had received training to be effective in their roles.

The principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were being followed to ensure that people's human rights were being upheld and that they were consenting to their care at the service.

People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts of food and drink of their liking and in a way that met their individual needs. Staff knew what to do if people became unwell or their health needs changed and they responded accordingly.

People were treated with dignity and respect. People's right to privacy was upheld and they were encouraged to be as independent as they were able to be.

People were receiving care that met their individual assessed needs and preferences and their care was regularly reviewed with them and their representatives.

People were supported to participate in hobbies and interests of their liking within their home and local community.

The provider had a complaints procedure. Relatives felt confident that issues and concerns would be addressed.

The provider had systems in place to monitor and improve the service. An action plan had been developed which had identified areas of improvement and these were being addressed.