The inspection visit at Shared Approach Limited took place on 12 and 13 October 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the service delivered personal care to people living in the community. We needed to be sure people in the office and people the service supported would be available to speak to us. Shared Approach Limited supports adults who have a learning disability in Garstang, Morecambe and the surrounding area. The service supports people with their personal care in their own homes and within a college environment. People who use the service have their own tenancies and receive their support from people employed by Shared Approach Limited. Support is provided in line with people's individual needs and can be at specific times throughout the day and night or full time. At the time of our inspection, 57 people were receiving personal care support from the service.
The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
At the last inspection on 17 January 2014, we found the provider was meeting the requirements of the regulations inspected.
During this inspection, staff responsible for administering medicines were trained to ensure they were competent and had the skills required. Medicines were safely kept and there were appropriate arrangements for storing medicines.
Staff had received abuse training and understood their responsibilities to report any unsafe care or abusive practices related to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults. Staff we spoke with told us they were aware of the safeguarding procedure and would make an alert should they witness abusive practice.
We found staffing levels were suitable with an appropriate skill mix to meet the needs of people who used the service.
The provider had recruitment and selection procedures to minimise the risk of inappropriate employees working with vulnerable people. Checks had been completed prior to any staff commencing work at the service. This was confirmed from discussions with staff.
Staff received training related to their role and were knowledgeable about their responsibilities. They had the skills, knowledge and experience required to support people with their care and support needs.
People’s representatives told us they were involved in their care and had discussed people’s care and were working in people’s best interests. We found staff had an understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).
We saw regular drinks were available between meals to ensure people received adequate nutrition and hydration.
We found people had access to healthcare professionals and their healthcare needs were being met. We saw the management team had responded in an effective personalised way to make sure people were supported to maintain good health.
The management and staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities. They were committed to providing a good standard of care and support to people who lived at Shared Approach Limited.
Care plans were organised and had identified the care and support people required. We found they were informative about care people had received. They had been kept under review and updated when necessary to reflect people’s changing needs.
People’s activities were arranged by staff who worked at Shared Approach Limited based on their knowledge of people’s likes and preferences.
A complaints procedure was available for people and their relatives. People we spoke with knew how to complain and to whom.
Staff spoken with felt the registered manager was accessible, supportive, approachable, listened, and acted on concerns raised.
The registered manager had sought feedback from people who lived at the home and staff. They had consulted with people and their relatives. They had observed people’s moods and behaviours as an indicator of the quality of the service being delivered.
The provider had a system that ensured regular audits to maintain people’s safety and welfare were completed.