Autism Wessex-Community Support Service West

Updated 30 December 2021

The inspection

This was a targeted inspection to check on concerns received about staffing levels, safeguarding concerns, risk management, medicines, staff skills and knowledge, best interest decisions and consent.

Inspection team

The inspection was conducted by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in eight ‘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.

The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. A registered manager means they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. The current manager was confirmed in post by the provider during the inspection and was applying to be registered.

Notice of inspection

We gave a short period of notice of the inspection because some of the people using it could not consent to a home visit from an inspector. This meant that we had to arrange for a best interests decision about this.

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 commissioners who work with the service. We sought agreement from a court appointed deputy to visit one person.

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. We had requested information from the provider prior to the inspection and this information was used as part of the inspection plan.

During the inspection

We met, used sign language and spoke with three people in their homes. We spoke with eight members of staff including the director of adult services, the manager, support workers and agency staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s risk management, care and support records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision and all agency staff profiles. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were reviewed.

After the inspection

We spoke with five people’s relatives about their experience of the care and support provided. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at staff training information and quality assurance records. We received further feedback from two staff and three professionals who were involved in the service.

Updated 30 December 2021

This inspection took place on 23 and 26 March 2018 and was announced. The inspection was undertaken by two inspectors.

This service provides care and support to people living in their own homes and in one 'supported living' setting. 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. There were seven people being supported by this service at the time of the inspection.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support CQC policy and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion.

Not everyone using Autism Wessex-Community Support Service West service received the regulated activity personal care. CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

There was a registered manager in place. 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.

We last inspected Autism Wessex-Community Support Service West in December 2016. At that Inspection the service was rated overall requires improvement with a rating of good in caring and responsive. This included improvements to the arrangement for the safe administration of medicines, the assessment of people’s mental capacity, how the management of risks were documented and the approach to oversight and governance. At this inspection we found that improvements had been made and the service was now good in all areas.

People were safe. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities to safeguard people from the risk of harm and risks to people were assessed and monitored regularly.

Staffing levels ensured that people's care and support needs were continued to be met safely and safe recruitment processes continued to be in place.

Staff understood the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and how to support people's best interest if they lacked capacity. However assessments were not recorded.

People's needs and choices continued to be assessed and their care provided in line with up to date guidance and best practice. People received care from staff that had received training and support to carry out their roles.

Risks continued to be assessed and recorded by staff to protect people. There were systems in place to monitor incidents and accidents. There were arrangements in place for the service to make sure that action was taken and lessons learned when things went wrong, to improve safety across the service.

Staff understood how to prevent and manage behaviours that the service may find challenging.

Staff continued to support people to book and attend appointments with healthcare professionals, and supported them to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The service worked with other organisations to ensure that people received coordinated and person-centred care and support.

Medicines were managed safely. The processes in place ensured that the administration and handling of medicines were suitable for the people who used the service.

Staff were caring and compassionate. People were treated with dignity and respect and staff ensured their privacy was maintained. People were encouraged to make decisions about how their care was provided.

Staff had a good understanding of people's needs and preferences.

People, relatives and staff were encouraged to provide feedback about the service and it was used to drive improvement.

Quality assurance audits were carried out to identify any shortfalls within the service and how the service could improve.