Archived: At Home in the Community

Updated 14 September 2015

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

We reviewed other information we held about the service, including the notifications we had received from the provider. Notifications are changes, events or incidents the provider is legally obliged to send CQC within required timescales. We also contacted commissioners from the Local Authorities who contracted people’s care. We spoke with the local safeguarding teams. We did not receive any information of concern from these agencies.

This inspection took place on 10 July, 17 July and 30 July 2015 and was an unannounced inspection. It was carried out by an adult social care 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 a service for people with a learning disability. During the inspection the inspector visited the provider’s head office to look at records and speak with staff and after the inspection the inspector visited three people who used the service to speak with them and the staff who supported them. An expert by experience carried out telephone interviews with some people who used the service and some relatives.

As part of the inspection we spoke with six people who were supported by At Home in the Community staff, four relatives, four support workers, the registered manager and operational manager. We reviewed a range of records about people’s care and checked to see how the schemes were managed. We looked at care plans for four people, the recruitment, training and induction records for four staff, staffing rosters, staff meeting minutes, meeting minutes for people who used the service and the quality assurance audits that the registered manager completed.

Updated 14 September 2015

This was an unannounced inspection carried out over three days on 10 July, 17 July and 30 July 2015.

We last inspected At Home in the Community in December 2013. At that inspection we found the service was meeting all of its legal requirements.

At Home in the Community is registered to provide personal care to adults with learning disabilities. People are supported by staff to live individually in their own homes or in small groups, referred to as independent supported living schemes. Different levels of support are provided over the 24 hour period dependent upon people’s requirements. Many of the people are tenants of their home and pay rent for their accommodation which is leased from housing associations.

A registered manager was in post. 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.

People told us they felt safe. They were relaxed and appeared comfortable with the staff who supported them. One person said, “The staff keep me safe, I trust them.” Another said “I go out shopping with staff but I can go to the local shop on my own.”

People received their medicines in a safe and timely way. People who were able, were supported to manage their own medicines. One person said, “They make sure I take my medicines.”

Staff had received training and had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and “best interest decision making”, when people were unable to make decisions for themselves. People who had capacity told us staff asked their permission when providing care and support.

Staff told us they received regular training, supervision and appraisal so they were knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities.

People who used the service had food and drink to meet their needs. Some people were assisted by staff to plan their menu and cook their own food. Other people received meals that had been cooked by staff.

People had access to health care professionals to make sure they received appropriate care and treatment.

Staff knew the people they were supporting well. Care was provided with patience and kindness and people’s privacy and dignity were respected.

Care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported and people were involved in making decisions about their care. The records gave detailed instructions to staff to help people learn new skills and become more independent.

People told us they were supported to go on holiday and to be part of the local community. They were provided with opportunities to follow their interests and hobbies and they were introduced to new activities.

People were supported to maintain some control in their lives. They were given information in a format that helped them to understand if they did not read to encourage their involvement in every day decision making.

People had the opportunity to give their views about the service. There was regular consultation with staff, people and/ or family members and their views were used to improve the service.

A complaints procedure was available and written in a way to help people understand if they did not read. People we spoke with said they knew how to complain.

The provider undertook a range of audits to check on the quality of care provided.