Residential Care Services Limited

Updated 10 January 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 checked 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.

This was a comprehensive inspection which took place on 29 August 2017, and was announced. We gave 24 hours’ notice because the service is a small domiciliary care agency and we needed to be sure that someone was available. The service was inspected by a single inspector.

Before the inspection the provider had completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the information included in the PIR along with other information we held about the service.

During our inspection we observed support being provided in communal areas. We spoke with five people who used the service. We also spoke with three care staff and the registered manager. We looked at records including four support records, five staff files and other records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 10 January 2018

We undertook an inspection of Residential Care Services Limited on 29 August 2017.

Residential Care Services Limited is a domiciliary care agency registered to provide personal care services to people with learning disabilities. The service is situated in the London Borough of Brent. At the time of this inspection the service was providing care and support to10 people residing in supported living services at three locations.

At our last inspection of 28 August 2015 the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found that the service remained Good.

The staff members we spoke with demonstrated a good understanding of how to identify and report suspicions of abuse. People had up to date risk assessments in place which included guidance for staff on how to reduce and manage risk. Medicines were well managed and recorded. There were sufficient staff members deployed to ensure that people’s support needs were met.

Staff members received training and supervision to ensure that they were skilled and competent in their roles. 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 support this practice. People were involved in the planning and preparation of their meals and guidance was in place for staff supporting people with dietary needs. Staff supported people to ensure that their health care needs were met.

Staff members showed a caring attitude towards people and ensured that they were supported with dignity and privacy. People told us that they were happy with the support that they received from staff.

People’s support plans were up to date and included guidance for staff on how they to meet people’s needs and preferences. Individual records showed that people were supported to participate in a range of activities outside the home. The people we spoke with confirmed this. Support plans included information about people’s spiritual and cultural needs and we saw that these were met. A complaints procedure was in place and people told us how they would raise any complaints or concerns.

People told us that they knew the registered manager. We saw that the registered manager was familiar with people and communicated with them in ways that they understood. Staff members said that they felt well supported and could approach the registered manager at any time if they had a concern. There were a range of processes in place to monitor the quality of the service. Actions had been taken to address any concerns arising from these.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.