Precious Homes Torquay

Updated 25 September 2019

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

On the first day of inspection the inspection team consisted of one inspector and one Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. On the second day of inspection one inspector attended.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in one ‘supported living’ setting, so that they can live 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.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service a short period of notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with seven people who used the service and five relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, and two support workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, complaints, quality assurance and incidents, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We contacted five professionals who work with the service and received feedback from two. We contacted ten further staff and received feedback from four.

Updated 25 September 2019

About the service

Precious Homes Torquay provides support for up to 14 people living in a supported living setting in the coastal town of Torquay. At the time of our inspection 13 people were receiving support from the service. People were accommodated by a private landlord in a large adapted building with their own flats. There were also communal areas for people to socialise in such as a large garden and lounge. There was an office in the grounds of the property.

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 is appropriate and inclusive for them.

The building design fitted into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. There were deliberately no identifying signs, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a supported living service. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People were supported by engaging compassionate staff who knew them well. People were involved in the planning of their care and supported by a service that was exceptionally caring and wholly person centred. People’s equality and diversity characteristics were protected and explored by people with staff encouragement.

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. Where restraint needed to be used it was as a last resort and it was clearly evidenced in what cases this needed to be used. All staff were trained in the use of appropriate restraint.

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.

People told us they felt safe and if they were worried about something they could approach staff or the manager. All staff had good knowledge of safeguarding and medicines were managed safely. People were supported with staff who were employed after a robust recruitment process. Staff were aware of the risks people faced and discussed these with people.

People were supported to achieve positive outcomes such as maintaining employment, developing living skills and learning to be out in the community safely. People were encouraged to retain and develop friendships and stay in contact with families.

The service was well-led, by an experienced and knowledgeable management team who cared deeply about their staff team and the people using the service. Staff felt supported and listened to. People told us managers were approachable and helped them solve problems. Quality systems were robust, and performance was monitored, and learning taken from incidents when they occurred.

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 4 February 2017)

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.