Background to this inspection
Updated
29 June 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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
One Inspector and an Expert by Experience carried out the inspection. 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
United Response Greater Manchester is a supported living service. This service provides care and support to people living in 'supported living' settings, so 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.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we did not know if all people living at the service could consent to a visit from an inspector. This meant we had to arrange for a ‘best interests’ decision about this. We carried out several visits and subsequent visits were unannounced.
Inspection activity started on 24 May 2022 and ended on 6 June 2022. We visited the office location on 24 May 2022.
What we did before inspection
We reviewed information we received about the service. We asked the service's manager to send us information relating to people's addresses, communication needs and asked the manager to gain consent from people and their relatives for us to visit or contact them. We sought feedback from health professionals and advocacy groups who worked with the service. This information helped support our inspection and we used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with seven people who used the service and five relatives about their experience of the care provided. To communicate verbally with people effectively we tailored our communication to suit people's preferences. We observed people's body language.
We spoke with eight members of staff including the registered manager, unit managers and support workers.
We reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s care and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed. We observed people’s care and their interactions with staff to understand their experience.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with two professionals who regularly visited the service.
Updated
29 June 2022
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.
About the service
United Response – Greater Manchester is a supported living service providing personal care to 17 people at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 19 people with learning disabilities and autism.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Right Support
Staff supported people to have the maximum possible choice, control and independence over their own lives. Staff focused on people’s strengths and promoted what they could do, so people had a fulfilling and meaningful everyday life. People had a choice about their living environment and were able to personalise their rooms. Staff supported people with their medicines in a way that promoted their independence and achieved the best possible health outcome. Staff supported people to play an active role in maintaining their own health and wellbeing.
Right Care
People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity. They understood and responded to their individual needs. Staff understood how to protect people from poor care, abuse and harm. The provider had robust safeguarding systems which included working alongside other agencies when things went wrong. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it. People could communicate with staff and understand information given to them because staff supported them consistently and understood their individual communication needs. People could take part in activities and pursue interests that were tailored to them. The provider gave people opportunities to try new activities which enhanced and enriched their lives.
Right culture
People received good standard of care, support and treatment because trained staff and specialists could meet their needs and wishes. Staff placed people’s wishes, needs and rights at the heart of everything they did. People and those important to them, including advocates, were involved in planning their care. Managers ensured risks of a closed culture were minimised so that people received support based on transparency, respect and inclusivity.
People told us they felt safe and knew how to raise concerns. Staff assessed health and safety risks and supported infection prevention and control processes. There were enough staff to meet peoples’ needs and recruitment processes were ensured staff were suitable to work with vulnerable people. Peoples’ health and nutrition needs were supported, and staff were aware of their responsibility to promote peoples’ rights. Systems were in place to monitor quality and safety, and the provider sort regular feedback from people to improve their support.
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 4 March 2021 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
We undertook this inspection to assess the service was applying the principles of Right support right care right culture.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.