Background to this inspection
Updated
17 October 2018
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.’
The inspection team consisted of one adult social care
The inspection included a visit to the agency’s office on 14 September 2018. The registered manager was given short notice of our inspection, in line with our current methodology for inspecting domiciliary care agencies.
We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
At the time of this inspection the agency was supporting 45 people who wished to retain their independence and continue living in their own home.
On 14 September 2018 we visited the agency office and spoke with the registered manager, three supported living managers and two support staff. When we visited the office, we reviewed a range of records about people's care and how the domiciliary care agency was managed. These included peoples care records, medicine administration record (MARs), staff training, support and employment records, quality assurance audits and findings from questionnaires that the registered provider had sent to people.
On 14 September 2018 we visited a supported living complex that consisted of 16 flats, we visited three people in their flats and spoke with four staff. During 17 and 19 September 2018 we spoke with six relatives on the phone, three staff and contacted two healthcare professionals to gain their views on the service provision.
Updated
17 October 2018
The inspection took place on 14 September 2018. The registered provider was given short notice of the visit to the office, in line with our current methodology for inspecting domiciliary care agencies.
This service provides care and support to people living in five ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support. At the time of our inspection there were 45 people being supported that were receiving personal care.
This was the first inspection of the service since it was registered in July 2017. We have rated the service Good.
The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.
The service had developed a model of care and support provided to those who lived in the supported living services, which underpinned the values of Registering the Right Support. The service was extremely committed to person-centred planning making every effort to assist people to be involved in and understand decisions about their care and support to enhance their self-esteem, quality of life and confidence.
The service was managed by the registered manager. 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 were safe, staff understood the importance of safeguarding vulnerable people. Risks were managed and people were able to take risks as part of an independent lifestyle.
Staffing levels were maintained to ensure that people's care and support needs continued to be met safely and there were safe recruitment processes in place.
People continued to receive their medicines in a safe manner and received good healthcare support. The service supported people to prepare and make meals. Staff told us that meal choice was very much down to the individual.
People’s needs and choices were assessed and mental capacity assessments were undertaken. Peoples best interests were considered and formally documented. However, we found that these did not always clearly conclude the outcome of the decision.
Staff displayed empathy and worked with people and their relatives to understand how best to support them. Potential barriers to communication were addressed through staff's understanding of people's unique communication styles which were detailed in people's care records.
Everyone we spoke with, without exception, said they were very happy about the service being provided. Staff were kind, considerate, resected people and maintained their dignity.
People received individualised, personalised, person centred care that met their needs. People were supported to live fulfilled and meaningful lives.
People were listened to and any complaints received were dealt with following the providers complaints policy and procedure.
A system was in place for checking the quality of the service using audits, satisfaction surveys and meetings. People made their views known through direct discussion with the registered manager and staff or through the complaint and quality monitoring systems. People's privacy and confidentiality were maintained as records were held securely