8 October 2015
During a routine inspection
L'Arche Lambeth Supported Living service provides support and personal care to adults with a learning disability in their own homes. At the time of this inspection there were 18 people using the service. There were eight separate accommodations for these people.
The service has met standards of quality and safety at the inspection carried out on 29 August 2015.
This inspection took place on 8 October 2015 and was unannounced.
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.
People were happy with the support they received. Staffs were provided with training and support they required to deliver effective care for people. There were sufficient staff to meet peoples’ needs. Staff helped people to identify and manage any risks to their safety. Safe recruitment practices ensured that staff were suitable to care for vulnerable people and had knowledge and skills to undertake their duties.
People were given choices and were involved in making decisions about their care. Staff provided individual support ensuring that people had opportunities to plan their care. Staff supported people to make decisions for themselves on a daily basis. A Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 was applied where people needed support to make some choices . The MCA provides protection for people who may lack capacity to make some decisions for themselves.
Staff supported people with their health needs. Staff regularly assessed their needs making sure that the support provided was in line with good practice. People had individual care plans which instructed staff on their health needs and how the care should be delivered in line with good practice. Staff were knowledgeable about people’s health needs and asked for support from health professionals where appropriate. People had their nutritional needs identified and made choices about the food they wanted to eat.
People liked their supported workers. Staff used people’s preferred communication methods making sure they were heard. People felt their privacy and dignity were respected. Staff supported people to attend activities of their choice and encouraged them to maintain friendships in the community. People were encouraged to learn new skills in order to maintain their independence.
People were provided with care that met their needs. Systems were in place to monitor people’s care and changes were made to support plans if their needs changed. The provider had obtained people’s feedback on the services they received and addressed the issues identified.
The management team checked on the quality of care provided and made changes to improve it when necessary. People knew the managers well and were happy with the leadership at the service. Systems were in place to ensure effective care for people. Staff received support from the management team when required. Staff were encouraged to make suggestions and be involved in developing the service.