Background to this inspection
Updated
16 August 2023
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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by an inspector 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
This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought or rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.
Registered Manager
This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
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.
Inspection activity started on 19 July 2023 and ended on 24 July 2023. We visited the location’s office/service on 19 and 24 July 2023.
What we did before the inspection
The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
We reviewed information we had received about the service since their registration with us. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with the registered manager, a peripatetic manager, the area manager, two scheme managers and five care staff. We reviewed a range of records including 4 people’s care plans, medicines administration records and risk assessments. We reviewed recruitment records for 3 care workers, training records and records relating to the management of the service.
We spoke with 8 people using the service and 2 relatives. We received feedback from 5 health and social care professionals. and 3 care workers. You can see what they told us in the main body of the report.
Updated
16 August 2023
About the service
Agincare UK - Ash Lea Court Extra Care Scheme is an extra care housing scheme for older people, comprising of individual flats in one large building. The agency supported people living in 2 Extra House Schemes within close proximity of each other.
Ash Lea Court Extra Care Scheme had some communal areas, and an onsite restaurant. People who lived within the 2 housing complexes had a separate care and tenancy agreement. At the time of our inspection, the service supported 21 people with personal care. Other people required support with social, domestic visits or welfare calls only.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People spoke positively about the service they were receiving. It was evident recent improvements had taken place such as ongoing recruitment and training ensuring people received care from staff that they knew well.
People received care that was safe, effective and responsive to their needs. People's care and support needs were assessed before they started using the service. 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 understood their role in keeping people safe including safeguarding and how to report concerns. Safe recruitment practices were being followed. Risks to people were known and recorded, helping to keep them and staff safe.
People were supported to maintain a healthy balanced diet and had access to healthcare professionals when they needed them. Where people needed support with their medicines this was done safely.
People and relatives told us the staff were kind and caring and their privacy was respected. Their independence was promoted. The service took the views of people and their relatives into account. Complaints and suggestions were listened to and acted upon.
Staff received a thorough induction and then a programme of training giving them the skills and knowledge to support people safely and effectively. Staff received regular supervision and annual appraisals. Spot checks were used to observe staff practice to ensure they were supporting people appropriately and in line with the provider’s expectations.
There were systems in place to monitor and make improvements to the quality and safety of the service. The service worked in partnership with health and social care providers to plan and deliver an effective service. The registered manager had taken action during the inspection to ensure any notifiable incidents and accidents were reported to us and assurances were provided that this would be monitored to ensure no delays moving forward.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
This service was registered with us on 19 December 2022, and this is the first inspection.
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Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection to provide the service with a rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.