Background to this inspection
Updated
9 September 2021
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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by two inspectors.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
The service had a registered manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small, and people are often out, and we wanted to be sure there would be the registered manager and care staff to speak with us.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with two people who used the service, one family member and four staff. This included the nominated individual (the nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider) and registered manager. We visited the office on 5 August 2021 and spoke with people who used the service. We made calls to a relative and staff in the days following the office inspection.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We asked for further records to be forwarded to us which included training and quality assurance records.
Updated
9 September 2021
About the service
Pathfinders provides care and support to people with a learning disability living in supported living accommodation. At the time of our inspection the service was supporting nine people, however, only two people were receiving personal care.
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
Though people using the service were empowered to assist in the staff selection process, staff who had been employed had not had gaps in their employment history discussed or any potential risk involved assessed. Most other risks were assessed and updated regularly, however, we noted there were no personal evacuation plans in people’s care plans. People were supported to have their medicines in the right way and at the right time. However, staff recording of some occasional or medicines were not using the designated codes on the recording charts.
People were supported to be safe and protected from discrimination. Safety was a high priority for managers and staff, systems and processes to identify risk or potential abuse were robust. People’s freedom was respected, and they were supported to be as independent as they could be.
There were enough staff with the right skills to meet people’s needs and support them to stay safe. People liked the staff and had confidence in them to develop as individuals within the community.
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.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.
The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of right support, right care, right culture.
Right support: The model of care and how that is based in people’s own flat which maximises people’s choice, control and independence over their lives.
Right care: Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human rights
Right culture: The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of the provider is clearly stated in the vision and values documents and the Statement of Purpose. They explain to people the level of service they can expect and ensure care staff promote people using services to lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives.
People were supported in in a person-centred way. The overall culture of the service was empowering and inclusive. Staff promoted people’s human rights and protected people’s privacy and dignity. People were consulted and included in decisions about their care and support and about the development of the service.
Staff knew how to communicate with people effectively and understood people’s needs well. People led independent lives and were empowered take part in the running and development of the service.
There was a strong framework of accountability and systems to monitor the quality of the service were well embedded into the running of the service. There was a clear organisational structure and staff understood their responsibilities. People, staff and relatives told us the senior managers were supportive, approachable and accessible.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 17 August 2018).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
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.