Engage Support

Updated 8 February 2024

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of an inspector and an 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.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in a number of ‘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.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ 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.

Inspection activity started on 9 November 2023 and ended on 22 November 2023. We visited the location’s office on 9 November 2023 and supported living houses on 14 November 2023.

What we did before the inspection

W reviewed information we had received since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We reviewed 2 care plans, care notes and mediation records. We also reviewed information relating to the oversight and management of the service. We spoke with 8 members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, team leaders and support workers. We spoke with 2 people using the service and observed their interactions with staff. We also spoke to 1 relative.

Updated 8 February 2024

About the service

Engage Support is a supported living service providing personal care to people in supported living houses. The service provides support to autistic people and people with learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were 3 people using the service.

There were two supported houses where people were receiving regulated activity. Both houses had large kitchen and lounge areas for people to spend time in and develop their independent living skills.

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.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

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

Right Support: People were supported in houses which were part of the local community. People were supported with choices around how their spaces were decorated. People had access to kitchens to improve their skills and independence around food and drink preparation.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives, for one person, staff did not always support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service did not always support this practice.

Right Care: Staff provided people with person-centred care around their likes and dislikes and who they are as an individual. Positive behaviour plans did not always support all the techniques used by staff and the techniques were not thoroughly monitored.

Right Culture: Staff were passionate about supporting people as individuals and providing good care.. Staff felt the management team were approachable and able to raise any concerns.

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 the service at the previous premises was good, published on 13 September 2017.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service. The overall rating for the service has changed from good to requires improvement based on the findings of this inspection.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report. You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

Enforcement

We have identified a breach in relation to safe care and treatment at this inspection. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.