Pathways Care Centre

Updated 20 January 2022

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 6 January 2022 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours notice of the inspection.

Updated 20 January 2022

Pathways Care Centre is a supported living service providing personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting seven people in three properties in the Colchester area which provided single and shared accommodation. There were sleep in arrangements in place in each of the properties.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

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

People were supported by a consistent team of staff who knew them well. Checks were undertaken on staff to ensure that they were suitable. Staff received training in supporting people and were clear about what they should do if they had concerns about people’s welfare.

There were clear systems in place to support people with their medicines and staff attended regular training on the administration of medicines and areas such as health and safety. Additional training on dental care, autism and positive behaviour management was planned.

The provider had assessed the risks to people’s health and support and staff were clear about the steps they needed to take to minimise risk and promote people’s independence. Staff were well motivated and told us that they were well supported by the management of the service.

People were supported with shopping, and where required meal preparation. The service worked with a range of health professionals on promoting people’s health.

People’s support plans provided people with clear guidance on their preferences. People decided when they got up, went to bed, when they did their cleaning or participated in whatever activities they decided to do.

Staff were aware of how people communicated and any support that they used. 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.

People’s independence was promoted, and they were supported to achieve individual goals which were meaningful to them. Relatives told us that the registered manager and support staff communicated well with them and kept them up to date with any changes to their relative’s wellbeing.

There were systems in place to check on the quality of the service. This included annual satisfaction surveys to ascertain the views of people and relatives. Responses received were reviewed to identify improvements.

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 22 August 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Pathways Care Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

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.