Background to this inspection
Updated
19 July 2022
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 one inspector and a specialist nurse advisor. An Expert by Experience made calls to relatives on 15 June 2022. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
This service provides care and support to people living in nine 'supported living' settings, so that they can live 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.
Registered manager
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.
At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 24 hours' notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure the operations manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since their 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 one person who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff. Two service managers as well as the head of operations manager.
We reviewed a range of records. This included six people's care records and multiple medication records. A variety of records relating to the management and quality assurance of the service, including policies, procedures, safeguarding, accidents and incident were reviewed.
Updated
19 July 2022
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 statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.
About the service
The Firs is a supported living service providing personal care and support to people living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection the service was providing personal care to 17 people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture. 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.
Right Support
The model of care and setting maximised people’s choice and control. People lived the lives they wanted to live and had regular opportunities to pursue social interests and be part of their local community. Staff encouraged people to engage in meaningful activities and promoted people’s independence.
Right Care
Staff promoted people's dignity, privacy and human rights. People were involved in decisions about their care and empowered to make decisions about support they received. Staff used a variety of communication methods to support people to make everyday decisions.
Right Culture
The service had a person-centred culture which empowered people to achieve their goals and fulfil their aspirations. Systems were effective in identifying and ensuing people live the life they wanted. Leaders promoted a culture where staff promoted people’s best interests.
People were safeguarded from the risk of abuse and told us they felt safe. There were enough staff to provide safe, compassionate and person-centred care. Risks to people’s physical health and emotional wellbeing were identified, assessed and managed safely and medicines were managed safely. People told us they received good care from staff who cared about their wellbeing.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this location was requires improvement (published 09 April 2021).
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about care delivery. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern.
We undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, caring and well-led only. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.