Choice Supported Living - South

Updated 16 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 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.

The inspection took place on 1 and 4 December 2017.

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

We visited the office location on 1 December 2017 to see the manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures. On 4 December we visited one supported living service to meet people and observe staff.

The inspection team consisted of one inspector.

Before the inspection we reviewed information we held about the service. We looked at notifications. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. We reviewed the provider information return (PIR) document. The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. In addition we sent out questionnaires to people, staff, relatives and other professionals. We received feedback from one person and 13 staff. This information helped us to identify and address potential areas of concern.

During the inspection we spoke with one person and spent time observing staff interacting with people. We looked at the care and medicines records for three people. We looked at five staff recruitment, supervision and appraisal records. We looked at all staff training records as well as management records such as complaints, safeguarding, incident and accident records, rotas, policies and procedures and governance records.

We spoke to the area manager, the newly appointed manager and two staff. Following the inspection we spoke with one member of staff and attempted to speak to a further five staff. In addition we received feedback from a relative. We tried to gain feedback from an external professional but did not receive any.

Updated 16 January 2018

This inspection took place on 1 and 4 December 2017 and was announced to ensure that the registered manager or appropriate person would be available to assist with the inspection. This was the first inspection since the service became registered.

This service provides care and support to 13 people living in four ‘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.

Although there was a registered manager this person was no longer managing this service and had submitted an application to cancel their 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. A new manager had been appointed and planned to submit an application to CQC to become the registered manager. Throughout the report we refer to this person as the manager.

Staff were extremely person centred in their approach which was enabled and supported by the provider. They provided compassionate, caring support which encouraged people’s communication and development of their independence. Staff worked exceptionally well with people and others to develop people’s skills and ensure they were receiving a service that they needed. People were very comfortable, relaxed and confident in the company of staff. Care plans were person centred and staff responded to people’s changing needs. Activities were based on individual preferences. The provider had found different means to engage and involve people, including employing them as experts to audit services.

Systems to ensure staff recruited were of good character were operated effectively and staffing levels were based on individual’s needs. The provider delivered training and ensured support and supervision was in place to enable staff to undertake their roles effectively.

Staff had a clear understanding of the needs of people and worked well as a team and with other professionals. They knew about any risks to people as a result of their physical and emotional needs as well as what action to take to minimise the risks. Medicines were safely managed. People were protected against abuse. Policies and procedures were available to everyone who used the service. The manager and staff recognised their responsibilities and duty of care to raise safeguarding concerns when they suspected an incident or event that may constitute abuse.

Staff understood the need for consent and demonstrated the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were understood and applied appropriately. They ensured people were involved in all aspects of the care and support. Where necessary staff involved others such as families to aid the development of clear support plans. Other health professionals were accessed to ensure people’s health care needs were met. People were supported in environments which suited their needs.

Staff were confident that the manager was knowledgeable and would take appropriate action if any concerns were raised. They felt supported and that the manager was easy to approach. The manager operated an open door policy and in order to provide clear leadership spent time visiting services.

Systems were in place which continually monitored the service to ensure this was safe and of good quality.