Archived: United Response - Cumbria DCA

Updated 20 October 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 between 21 - 30 August 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the location provides a domiciliary care and supported living service. We needed to be sure that someone would be in. The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector.

Before the inspection we reviewed information we held about the service, including the notifications we had received from the provider. Notifications are changes, events or incidents the provider is legally obliged to send us within required timescales. We also contacted care professionals involved in supporting people who used the service, including commissioners and a quality and care governance officer of the local authority. Information provided by these professionals was used to inform the inspection.

The provider completed a provider information return (PIR). This 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.

During the inspection we visited eight people in their own homes with their permission and spoke with two relatives and four support workers. We also spoke with the registered manager, a service manager, an acting service manager and two senior support staff. We looked at the care records of five people, medicines records of eight people and the personnel files of three staff members. We also viewed records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 20 October 2018

This inspection was carried from 21 to 30 August 2018. We gave the provider short notice of our inspection due to the nature of the service. This was to make sure someone would be in the office to assist us with our inspection.

United Response - Cumbria DCA provides domiciliary care to people living in their own homes and to support to people living in ‘supported living’ settings. This meant people could live as independently as possible with support. All of the people were living with a learning, physical or sensory disability or mental health needs. There were 62 people using the service at the time of this inspection.

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.

The service had a manager who had been registered with CQC since February 2018. A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC to manage the service. Like 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.

At our last inspection in November 2015 we rated the service Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of Good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People said they felt safe with the staff and they had a say in who supported them. Staff had been trained in safeguarding vulnerable adults and knew how to report any concerns.

The provider checked new staff before they started work to make sure they were suitable. Staff had relevant training and received regular supervisions and appraisals.

Risk assessments were in place to support people’s independence. Any accidents and incidents were appropriately recorded and checked by the provider. People were assisted with their medicines in a safe way.

People’s needs were assessed before they started using the service to make sure the service could provide their support. If necessary, people were assisted with shopping and preparing meals to make sure they had good nutritional health.

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 supported to be included in their local community and lived ordinary, fulfilled lives as local citizens.

Staff were matched to the people they visited. There were friendly relationships between people and staff. People were empowered to make their own choices and decisions.

Staff were respectful of people’s individuality. United Response provided information for people in the way that met their communication styles.

The service had detailed records about each person. These included information about how they communicated, how they made decisions, what their preference were and what they could do themselves. Staff used this guidance to provide personalised support.

People and relatives knew how to make a complaint and were confident about contacting the management team at any time.

There was a strong management team with clear lines of responsibility. The provider had clear quality assurance systems to check the service. The provider also had a five-year vision and plan about how to continuously develop the service.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.