7 and 28 July 2014
During a routine inspection
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 and to pilot a new inspection process being introduced by CQC which looks at the overall quality of the service. This inspection was announced at short notice.
At our last inspection in November 2013 we did not identify any concerns in the areas in which we looked.
Devon Enhanced Recovery Service provides personal care and specialist mental health support to people living in their own homes after a hospital stay. People are able to access the service only by referral from Devon Partnership NHS Trust as part of their discharge planning from hospital. The service also forms part of a wider supported living service run by the National Schizophrenia Fellowship 'Rethink' in Exeter.
When we visited there was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and has a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider.
People confirmed that they felt safe and supported by staff. Safety planning formed a daily part of people’s support and them taking ownership and feeling empowered to take control and maintain independence. The service and its staff team had an enabling attitude towards informed risk taking and worked closely with other health and social care professionals to ensure people received the right support in line with their specific needs. People could also choose which staff supported them based on the specific skills they brought to the organisation, such as a particular interest or psychological therapy.
Staff understood the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and how it applied to their practice. This ensured that people were assessed appropriately and safeguarded from the risk of their liberties being deprived unlawfully. We found the service to be meeting the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005).
Staff informed us that they received a range of training and regular supervision which enabled them to feel confident in meeting people’s needs and recognising changes in people’s health. .
People told us that staff were caring and supportive. Staff spoke confidently about people’s specific needs and how they liked to be supported. Through our observations and discussions, we found that staff were motivated and inspired to offer care that was kind and compassionate.
There were regular opportunities for people and people that matter to them to raise issues, concerns and compliments through on-going discussions with them by staff and members of the management team.
Devon Enhanced Recovery Service had achieved and were working towards recognised schemes to continually improve the quality of service people received and for people to feel empowered and able to voice their opinions.
The registered manager worked proactively with other organisations to ensure they were following best practice. They strived for excellence through consultation with others, research and reflective practice by means of regular supervision with other professionals and members of the organisation’s management team.