We carried out a review of the data available to us about High Street Sandy on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about High Street Sandy, you can give feedback on this service.
87 High Street Sandy is a supported living service providing personal care and support to six people in their own flats at the time of the inspection. Staff support was available 24 hours a day. Staff were based in a flat within the main block.
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 was appropriate and inclusive for them.
The service was within a block of flats. The flats were situated in the centre of a small town. The building design enabled individual and domestic flats for each person with their own separate entry. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate a supported living service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were very happy with the care and the staff who provided their care and felt safe. Staff knew how to keep people safe and how to report any concerns. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. The manager ensured they obtained key recruitment checks before new staff started work. Where possible, staff encouraged people to self-administer medicines safely. Staff completed medicine records accurately and with enough detail to ensure clear guidance.
Staff followed advice from health care professionals and made sure they asked people's consent before caring for them. Staff supported people to manage their meals and drinks and how to reduce the risks of spreading infection. 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 liked the staff that cared for them. People told us that staff were "caring", and "kind". They went on to
tell us that staff supported them to live as they wanted. Staff involved people in their care planning and made sure they respected people's privacy. Staff worked well together, they understood the
services’ aim to deliver high quality care, which helped people to continue to live in their own homes.
People told us the staff managed past complaints and concerns quickly and they were happy with the outcomes. Staff supported people to communicate and express their views using a variety of tools.
The manager carried out checks well in relation to how well the service was running. People, relatives and staff all felt supported and valued and told us the provider consulted with them on the care. The manager and team worked well with other organisations to ensure good care outcomes and consistent approaches. The manager actively encouraged staff to reflect on learning outcomes with a view to further develop the quality.
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
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.
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 09 August 2016).
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.
There was a registered manager in post. 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 had safeguards in place to protect people from the risk of harm. People’s support plans and risk assessments were detailed, person-centred and reflective of their changing needs. Medicines were managed and administered safely and people were supported to manage their own medicines if they wished to and where this was assessed as safe . The provider had safe recruitment processes in place to ensure people were supported by suitable staff and there were enough staff with the right skills and knowledge to meet people’s needs.
Staff received training which was relevant to their role and received regular supervision and support. Interactions between people and staff were positive and friendly and staff were knowledgeable about the people they supported. Staff had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and associated regulations.
People had enough to eat and drink. People did their own meal planning, shopping and cooking with support from staff. They were supported by caring staff, who understood their needs, promoted their rights, encouraged their independence and respected their privacy and dignity.
People had opportunities to contribute to their care and support and were included in reviews and meetings. People had plans and aspirations for the future and were supported to work towards these. People also had active social lives and participated in many community activities.
The service had robust quality assurance systems in place and held regular audits to identify any areas that required improvement. There was a complaints policy which detailed how people could make a complaint if they wished.
We noted the provider liaised with other professionals to ensure people's needs were met safely. People were supported to attend appointments which meant their health needs were managed effectively.
The premises at High Street Sandy enabled people to live as independently as possible and were maintained so people were kept safe and free from harm. The layout of flats was appropriate for people's care requirements.
The number of staff was appropriate and meant people received the care they required when needed. Staffing was based upon analysis of people's care requirements.
People were supported to raise concerns and complaints in a variety of ways and provided with information on how to complain in an accessible format.
We found records were kept securely and protected staff and people's confidentiality. They were accessible, so that when staff required information they could locate this easily.
Staff who had worked with people in their previous care setting made it clear how proud of people they were. They told us, 'People have come such a long way and achieved so much.' One person said, 'I like it here. All the staff are alright, they all treat me well.'
We saw that people who received this service had good relationships with the staff, who treated them with respect. Staff encouraged and supported people to be as independent as possible in all areas of their lives.
Care records were personalised and gave detailed guidance on the way in which each person wanted to be supported. Risks to people were assessed and managed so that people were kept as safe as possible. Medicines were handled safely and well.
Staff had received training in how to protect vulnerable people and demonstrated they knew the procedures for reporting any concerns. Staff had received regular supervision and had undergone training in a range of topics so that they were competent to carry out their role. A senior member of staff told us that the staff team 'has come on in leaps and bounds.'
The provider had measures in place to monitor the quality of the service and ensure that the views of the people who lived at the home were taken into account. People told us they would be happy speaking with staff or the manager if they wanted to complain.