Archived: Advantage Healthcare - Suffolk and Essex

Updated 14 June 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection, we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 1 inspector and an Expert by Experience. 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 is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations. At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. Inspection activity started on 24 April 2023 and ended on 11 May 2023. We visited the location’s office on 27 April 2023.

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 (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 4 relatives of people using the service and a family carer, plus 3 members of staff. We also spoke with the registered manager, head of paediatrics and the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We reviewed a range of records, including 3 people's care plans, and associated risk assessments, 5 staff recruitment files and a variety of records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 14 June 2023

About the service

Advantage Healthcare - Suffolk and Essex is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to children and adults, including people living with a learning disability and autistic people living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection 13 people were using the service which included 5 children. The service also provided live in staff support.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and 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 supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

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.

Right Support:

People received care and support from an established staff team. Staff were recruited based on their skills and experience and matched to meet the specific needs of people using the service. Staff received relevant and good quality training which gave them the skills to help ensure people received the right care and support. Staff showed a genuine interest in people's well-being and quality of life.

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. Managers worked closely with commissioners, social workers, and families to ensure bespoke packages were agreed. Care packages were tailored to meet people’s individual needs and designed to achieve the best quality of life possible.

Right Care:

People received person-centred which promoted their dignity, privacy and human rights. Systems were followed by staff to ensure risks to people were managed safely. Staff worked collaboratively with consultants and health professionals to help ensure people’s care was delivered in a way which meet their specific health needs, promoted their wellbeing, and helped them to live healthy lives.

Systems were in place to manage safeguarding concerns promptly, investigate matters and take appropriate action to protect people using the service. Staff knew people's needs well and had developed good relationships with them. Staff knew how to diffuse incidents of distress and anxiety quickly to reduce the risk of harm to people.

People, including those with complex dietary needs received support to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced diet. Staff had good awareness, skills and understanding of people’s individual communication needs and how to promote effective communication. Staff were committed to supporting people to participate in their chosen social and leisure activities and encouraging people to explore new recreational interests.

Right Culture:

The registered manager had worked hard to instil a culture of care where staff felt truly valued. There was a transparent, open and honest culture between people, those important to them, staff and managers. The attitudes and behaviours of the registered manager and staff ensured people using the service led inclusive and empowered lives. The views of people, their families, and stakeholders were sought and used to improve the culture, quality and safety of the service.

Staff understood their role in making sure that people were always put first. They understood their responsibilities to respect people’s right to privacy, confidentiality and promoted their independence. Relatives spoke positively about the kindness of staff and the continuity of care they provided.

Effective governance arrangements were in place to assess the quality and safety of the service. These were used to identify and drive improvement to deliver high quality care and support. Concerns and complaints were taken seriously, investigated and the outcomes used to improve the service. Systems were in place to apologies to people, and those important to them, when things went wrong.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 20 January 2021, and this is the first inspection. The last rating for the service under the previous provider, Interserve Healthcare Suffolk and Essex was Good, published on 25 March 2020.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service. We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.