Evolve Supporting Prospects

People’s experience of using this service:

People continued to receive care and support in a safe way. Staff knew how to keep people safe from harm and people told us they felt safe. People said they were supported by consistent staff and received their support in the right way. Staff had received training in infection control and had access to personal protective equipment. Areas of potential risk were identified, assessed and planned for to help keep people safe.

People continued to receive effective care from skilled and competent staff. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. Policies and procedures were in place to support this practice. Staff supported people to maintain a healthy diet, in line with their assessed needs, and to access health care if this was needed.

People said staff were kind and caring. People were confident that staff were able to support them in meeting their individual needs in a kind and compassionate way. People were supported and encouraged by staff to make decisions as to how their needs were met. Staff spoken with clearly understood the importance of respecting people's privacy, dignity and independence.

Staff continued to support people in a responsive way. Assessments and care plans were in place which identified the areas of support people wanted and needed. The support people received was centred around them, and they were involved in any decisions made, where possible. Suitable arrangements were in place to respond to any complaints and concerns. People we spoke with felt they were listened to and were confident any issues would be responded to.

The service continued to be well managed. Staff said the registered manager and provider were approachable and responsive to requests for advice and support. People, and their family members were actively encouraged to provide feedback on the service and staff worked well as a team in an open and supportive manner. Everyone spoke positively about the service and the quality of the support being provided.

Rating at last inspection: Good – 28 July 2016.

At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Our findings demonstrated that the service continued to meet all relevant fundamental standards. Further information is in the detailed findings below.

Why we inspected: This inspection was carried out as part of our planned schedule of inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor the service through the information we receive, and will inspect the service again, if we receive information that indicates risk.

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This was an announced inspection which took place on 16 and 17 June 2016. In line with our current methodology we contacted the service two days before our inspection and told them of our plans to carry out a comprehensive inspection. This was because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be at the office.

The service has a registered manager who was present on the day of our 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.

Staff had received training in safeguarding adults. They were able to tell us of the action they would take to protect people who used the service from the risk of abuse. They told us they would also be confident to use the whistleblowing procedure in the service to report any poor practice they might observe. They told us they were certain any concerns they raised would be taken seriously by the managers in the service.

Robust recruitment procedures were in place which ensured staff had been safely recruited. Staff received the induction and training they needed to carry out their roles effectively. Staff had regular supervisions and team meetings and told us they felt very well supported by the organisation and managers from the service.

People who used the service and their relatives told us they felt safe with staff from Evolve Supporting Prospects.

Care records contained assessments which were detailed and showed what support the person required and how the service planned to provide it. The assessment process ensured staff could meet people’s needs. The assessments were used to develop care plans and risk assessments. Care records were person centred and contained very detailed risk assessments that guided staff on what action they might need to take to identify, manage and minimise risks in order to promote people’s safety and independence.

Staff received training in administration of medicines and systems in place ensured people received their medicines safely.

The provider was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Staff were able to tell us how they supported people to make their own decisions. The managers in the service were aware of the process to follow should a person lack the capacity to consent to their care. Records we looked at showed that people who used the service or where appropriate their representatives had given consent to the support they were receiving. People told us they had been consulted about their care records and felt involved in how their care was provided.

People we spoke with told us the service was reliable, visits were never missed and staff were rarely late. People we spoke with told us the service was well managed and well organised. One person told us, “They are the best agency we have ever had.”

All the people we spoke with were very positive about the caring attitude of staff and managers from the service. People told us that staff were flexible and supported them responsively. All the staff and managers we spoke with demonstrated a commitment to providing good quality person centred care.

Staff were trained in safe food hygiene and nutrition. Where necessary people who used the service received support from staff to ensure their nutritional needs were met. Care records we looked at contained fact sheets about people’s health conditions. These gave staff information that would let them know facts about the medical conditions and how best to care for someone. People told us they felt the service supported them with their health needs.

Staff and the managers we spoke with knew people well. They spoke about people in respectful terms and demonstrated they placed great importance on protecting people’s rights, dignity and independence.

Care records showed that people were supported to access activities and places of interest to them. We saw staff accompanied people to hairdressers, podiatry and meals out. One person we spoke with told us staff accompanied them to hydrotherapy each week.

Managers of the service used a robust system of quality assurance and audits and used this to help improve the quality of the service provided. There was a complaints procedure for people to voice their concerns.

The service had a range of policies and procedures to help guide staff on good practice.

People who used the service told us they liked the registered manager and she managed the service well. They said, “She is very good at managing, the systems and procedures are good” and “She’s very friendly.” Staff told us they enjoyed working for the organisation and were complimentary about the registered manager and other managers from the service.