5 September 2014
During a routine inspection
Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes the number of different methods we used to help us understand the experiences of people who used the service.
During our inspection we looked at three out of 15 people's care records. We saw the provider's policies and procedures; we undertook observations, we spoke with two out of 15 people who used the service, a relative of a person who used the service and two members of staff. We also spoke with the registered manager.
If you want to see the evidence that supports our summary please read the full report.
Is the service safe?
In the care records we looked at we saw that risk assessments regarding people's individual health, care and support were completed. We saw that measures were in place to minimise risks whilst supporting a person's right to live as independent a life as possible.
The Care Quality Commission monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which applies to care services. The provider advised us that, at the time of our inspection, no DoLS applications had been made for people who used the service. Our inspection found that this was not in line with recent legislation around how a care service may be depriving someone of their liberty.
Staff we spoke with told us that they understood their role in safeguarding the people they supported. They demonstrated to us their understanding of safeguarding and what they would do and who they would contact if they had a concern.
We looked at three staff recruitment records and these showed us that pre-employment safety checks to ensure that staff were of a good character and deemed suitable to work with vulnerable adults had taken place.
Is the service effective?
People's support and care needs had been assessed and plans were in place within the care records we looked at. The two staff members we spoke with were able to demonstrate their knowledge of people who used the service including their individual support and care needs.
Is the service caring?
We saw positive, respectful and caring relationships between people who used the service and the staff who supported them. One person who used the service told us that they were, 'Well cared for.' Another person we spoke with said that staff were, 'Polite.'
Care records we looked at demonstrated to us that people were supported to live as independent a life as possible with assistance from staff. We found that people's individual needs were recorded to protect and promote a person's human rights.
Is the service responsive?
In the care records we saw, we noted that healthcare professionals were involved in people's care. We saw documented evidence that people were supported to attend external healthcare appointments.
Is the service well-led?
People who used the service, their relatives and healthcare professionals were given the opportunity to feedback on the quality of service provided. Results of this feedback were positive about the quality of service provided.
The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality of the service provided on an ongoing basis.