Avalon Northallerton Services

Updated 19 January 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This was an announced comprehensive inspection which took place on 21 November and 4 December 2017. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be at the office to speak with us. The inspection team consisted of two adult social care inspectors.

We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the information included in the PIR along with information we held about the service, for example, statutory notifications. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.

On day one, an inspector visited six people within their own homes and looked at their care records. On day two, an inspector visited the office location to review care records, policies and procedures. We spoke with the manager, the policy and project officer and four care and support workers.

We reviewed daily records, medicines administration records, three staff recruitment files, and reviewed the provider's training and supervision records. We considered how comments from people, staff and others, as well as quality assurance audits, were used to improve the service.

Following the inspection we spoke with three health and social care professionals and a commissioner of the service for their feedback on their experiences of the care provided.

Updated 19 January 2018

Avalon Northallerton Services provides personal care and support to people who have a learning disability. Some of the people who use the service are also living with dementia. Some people who receive support live in small supported living services which are staffed according to assessed needs. This service provides care and support to people 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.

Other people lived in a family setting with a main carer. This is called shared lives. At the time of our inspection the service provided personal care to 11 people in supported living and three people in shared lives. For the purposes of this report the term ‘staff’ refers to supported living workers as well as shared lives carers.

Not everyone using Avalon Northallerton Services received a regulated activity; 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.

The service did not have a registered manager. The previous registered manager left in October 2017. The manager in charge of the service had applied to become registered.

At the last inspection the service was rated good. At this inspection we found the service remained good.

People were protected from unnecessary harm by staff who knew how to recognise signs of abuse and how to report concerns. Individual risks were assessed and medicines were administered safely to those who required this support. There were safe recruitment procedures in place and enough staff to ensure people received the care and support they needed. Staff were trained and supervised to ensure that they had the knowledge and skills to support people effectively.

When people required assistance to eat and drink, the provider ensured their preferences and assessed needs were met. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were treated with kindness, compassion and respect by staff who knew them well. People liked the staff who supported them and had developed good relationships. Care was planned and reviewed with people and the provider ensured that people's choices were followed and their independence was promoted.

People had care records that included information about how they wanted to be supported and this was reviewed to reflect any changing needs. There was a complaints procedure in place and people knew how to complain if they wanted to.

People's views about their care were listened to and acted upon. Staff felt well supported by the manager. The quality of care was assessed and monitored to ensure standards were met and maintained. The manager promoted an open culture which put people at the heart of the service.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.