Canterbury Adult Support Unit

Updated 24 August 2019

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of one inspector.

Service and service type

Canterbury Adult Support Unit is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

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

This inspection was unannounced.

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 professionals who work with the service. 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 this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people who used the service and one relative about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager and care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits and meeting minutes were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at completed surveys. We received feedback from seven professionals who were involved with the service.

Updated 24 August 2019

About the service

Canterbury Adult Support Unit is a respite service offering overnight stays for people with a learning disability and/or autism, who usually live with family members or carers. Their purpose is to offer carers a break whilst offering people new opportunities and to develop their independence in a supportive environment. The service also provides day services and people who use the respite services can choose to use these day services. The service can support up to five people.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

All feedback was highly positive from people, relatives, health and social care professionals, and staff for all aspects of the service. One relative had fed back to the service, “Respite is a life line to carers. The staff are always friendly and welcoming and work extremely hard to make the service users stay enjoyable and happy.”

Staff were highly caring. People were truly respected, engaged in the service and involved in decisions around their care from choosing what they ate for dinner, what activities they did to the recruitment of new care workers.

People were happy staying at the service and with the support they received. People received person centred care and support from care workers who were well trained and competent. People enjoyed various activities and outings of their choosing and were enabled to have new experiences.

People were supported with complex health needs to stay well and have a good quality stay in line with their wishes and relatives were confident their loved ones were safe and well cared for. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

The quality and safety of the service was ensured by the provider. There was a positive, high quality and caring culture in the service led by the registered manager which achieved positive outcomes for people. Care workers told us it was a good place to work and they were well supported.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (published 16 January 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.