A single adult social care inspector carried out this inspection. The focus of the inspection was to answer five key questions; is the service safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led? Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes what people using the service and the staff told us, what we observed and the records we looked at. If you want to see the evidence that supports our summary please read the full report. Is the service safe?
During our visit we looked at communal areas within Cobbett House, and in five out of the seven flats. We found that people were supported to maintain a clean and hygienic environment. We spoke with five out of the seven people using the service. People told us they received care and support from staff who knew their needs, and who provided care and support in a manner that respected their independence. People knew who to speak to if they felt they needed a change in the level of support they received.
Staff told us they understood their role in preventing and reporting abuse, and people using the service said that they were able to raise concerns.
We found an effective recruitment system was in place. We looked at three staff files and saw they contained completed application forms, evidence of a robust interview and evidence that identities and criminal records had been checked. We saw that staff received an induction and on-going training, and the staff we spoke with told us they could request further training.
Records showed that three people had been assessed as needing safety equipment for their beds, some weeks before our visit. The manager told us that funding had been requested, and following our visit informed us that they had been put in place. The provider might like to note that delays in providing people with safety equipment could place people at risk of harm.
Is the service effective?
The service aims to support people's independent living. We saw that support plans which identified people's abilities and their support needs were in place. People told us staff routinely checked if they were happy to receive care and support.
We found that people living at Cobbett House were able to socialise together in a communal living room. People told us that staff supported them to be active in the community.
We found that people had access to specialist support to manage their health needs. Records showed that the level of support people received was in line with their agreed plan. We saw that the care and support delivered by staff had been recorded and met their needs. The manager told us they monitored these records on a weekly basis.
Is the service caring?
People who use the service spoke positively about the staff, and the support they received. One person said 'staff are always willing to help me' and another said 'staff are kind and friendly'. People told us they felt staff knew them well and understood their needs.
Is the service responsive?
People we spoke with told us about some of the things in their life they found important, and identified some of the ways staff supported them in these areas. For example, we saw that one person could no longer access an activity they enjoyed, and staff were exploring whether there were any alternatives available.
People told us they understood the complaints process, and records showed that people had been reminded of it at the previous two tenants meetings. Staff told us that people were encouraged to complain and people we spoke with told us they were happy that anything raised was dealt with efficiently. We found no complaints had been recorded. The manager told us they would discuss this further with staff to ensure all concerns raised were recorded appropriately.
People using the service had access to regular tenants meetings, and records showed that action was taken in response to anything raised in them.
We saw that people's support plans were up-dated in response to changes, but the provider may find it useful to note that not all sections within people's support plans had been reviewed. This means people could receive support that was not in line with their current needs and wishes.
Is the service well-led?
The manager told us they were currently providing more direct care than they would normally, due to a member of staff leaving. A new member of staff had been recruited and was due to start in July. On the day of our visit we saw they had come to meet with the trainer.
We found that the manager understood the needs of the people using the service, and the staff we spoke with told us they felt supported within the team. The manager told us they were also supported by their Head of Operations. We saw that staff had access to on-call support at all times and an emergency plan was in place. We saw that each person using the service had a personal evacuation plan in place.
We found a number of quality assurance measures were in place. These included the monitoring of people's views on the service, health and safety and Medication Administration Records audits.