Background to this inspection
Updated
25 March 2020
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
One inspector carried this inspection.
Service and service type
This service provides care and support to people living in five 'supported living' settings, 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 four days' notice of the inspection because some of the people using it could not consent to a home visit from an inspector. This meant that we had to arrange for a ‘best interests’ decision about this. This also enabled us to speak with people’s relatives and advocates by telephone for people who could not speak with us.
Inspection activity started on 20 February 2020 and ended on 27 February 2020. We visited the office location on 26 February 2020.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since it was registered with us in February 2019. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with three people who used the service and four people's relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the operations' manager, registered manager, team leaders and support workers.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and their 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, including policies and procedures were also reviewed.
After the inspection
We reviewed a range of records the registered manager sent us in relation to compliments, feedback from staff, health professionals, relatives and the fire service.
Updated
25 March 2020
About the service
Caretech Community Services Ltd (East Anglia) is a supported living service providing personal care to 10 adults with physical and learning disabilities and autism. The service is provided at five different addresses. People lived in their own house or flat and there were also shared and communal areas where people could socialise with their friends and other people using the service.
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 is appropriate and inclusive for them. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people. This was to not identify the service as a place where people received care and support.
Staff understood what safeguarding meant for each person and how to protect them from the risk of harm. Staff administered and managed people’s medicines safely. Staff were recruited in a safe way and checks were undertaken to make sure staff were suitable to work with people. Staff supported people to take risks in support of their rights where this was safe. Lessons were learned when things went wrong. There were systems in place to promote good hygiene practice.
Staff were trained according to people’s assessed needs. Staff were supported with regular mentoring and supervision; this helped ensure people’s care was effective. The staff team worked well with others involved in people’s care. People were supported to be independent, access health care services and to eat and drink healthily. 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 people had been assessed as lacking mental capacity legal restrictions had been applied for, agreed and put in place as consent for staff.
Staff supported people with kindness and showed compassion when caring for and supporting people. People’s privacy and dignity was promoted. People were supported by an advocate who spoke up on the person’s behalf. Records were kept confidential.
People lived full, independent, fulfilling and meaningful lives by accessing the community and having the social stimulation they needed. People’s concerns were acted on before they became a complaint. The complaints system was accessible, open and identified improvements which were acted on. Systems were in place should people need support in an emergency or end of life care.
The registered manager was aware of their responsibilities in managing the service and when they needed to report events such as safeguarding to us. Oversight, governance and quality assurance of the service was effective. People had a say in how the service was run and how improvements were made. The provider and registered manager worked well with others to provide joined up care. Staff were supported in their role and received feedback in a positive way. The registered manager was approachable which meant people, relatives and staff being more open, leading to better quality care.
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
This service was registered with us on 26 February 2019 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.