Your Lifestyle Nationwide Limited

Updated 14 February 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 was planned to check 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 inspection took place on 30 November and 4 December 2017 and was announced. 48 hours’ notice of the inspection was given because the service is small and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

Not everyone using Your Lifestyles receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks relating to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector. Prior to the inspection, we looked at the information we held about the service. Inspection site visit activity started on 30 November 2017 and ended on 15 December 2017. We visited the office location on 30 November and 4 December 2017 to see the registered manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures.

We spoke with two people, an advocate and the five staff members as well as two health care professionals. We also spoke with the registered manager, two area managers, four service managers, the operations manager, the transition manager and the training manager. We also looked at the care records of five people and records which related to staffing including their recruitment procedures and the training and development of staff. We inspected the most recent records relating to the management of the service including quality assurance reports. After the inspection, we spoke with one person and two relatives by telephone about the service they or their loved one’s received from Your Lifestyles.

Updated 14 February 2018

This inspection took place on 30 November and 4 December 2017 and was announced. Your Lifestyles is a domiciliary care service which provides personal care and support to people who have learning disabilities, autism, mental health problems and sensory impairments. This service provides care and support to people living in a number of ‘supported living’ settings so that they can live in their own home 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.

Not everyone using Your Lifestyles received a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with the regulated activity of ‘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 care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

A registered manager was in place as required by their conditions of registration. 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.

The service was outstandingly responsive to people’s needs. The provider promoted a highly person centred culture and this was reflected throughout our inspection. Staff had high standards and expectations of both themselves and people and this promoted an exceptionally positive culture of staff passionately challenging disability perceptions and stereotypes. We found this positive ‘can do’ approach had improved people’s confidence, access to the community and daily opportunities.

Staff were proactive in managing people’s risks to themselves and others. Staff worked towards positive outcomes for people based on people’s strengths, choices and abilities. Creative and highly personalised strategies were put in place by staff to help people live meaningful and active l lives. Staff had gone the extra mile and responded to people’s needs and wishes and helped them overcome barriers. We found examples of how the consistent approach of staff had enhanced people’s wellbeing.

People were encouraged to try out new activities and overcome any preconceived barriers which had resulted in positive engagements with their local community and trying out new opportunities. It was evident that people had progressed in the management of their own emotions and behaviours. People’s risks and control measures had been put into place to keep people safe. People were safeguarded from harm and abuse and there was a culture of acting on concerns and learning from mistakes or incidents.

People’s care plans gave staff detailed guidance on how people liked to be supported and their preferred standards of care. People had been supported to maintain links with their families but also to become as independent as possible. The management and administration of their medicines had been reviewed and was based on people’s individual support needs. People were encouraged to make their own decisions about their meals but were also encouraged to eat a healthy diet.

Sound recruitment processes were in place and staffing levels were effectively managed and reviewed. Staff had been trained to support people with a range of diverse needs. They told us they felt supported by senior staff.

The registered manager and managers were committed in providing effective care for people with complex needs. A strong leadership team was in place which promoted equality and empowerment of people using the service. The managers had a robust framework to monitor the service being provided and consistently reviewed their approach to drive improvements across the service. We have recommended that the service monitors and analyses the impact of new initiatives on people.