Background to this inspection
Updated
5 May 2022
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 was carried out by two Inspectors 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 ‘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.
Registered Manager
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 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 4 April 2022 and ended on 11 April 2022. We visited the location’s service on 6 April 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since it was registered. 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 (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
During the inspection
We spoke with two people who lived at the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We also used the principles of the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We spoke with eight members of staff including the registered manager, deputy managers, care staff, and activities co-ordinator.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people's care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment, training and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including governance systems, policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We sought feedback from four professionals to gather their experiences of the care provided.
Updated
5 May 2022
About the service
Gloucestershire Community Support Services provides care and support to people living in a 'supported living' setting so that they can live in their own flats as independently as possible. The service provides support to people with learning disabilities, autism and/or mental health needs. At the time of our inspection there were four people using the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The service was outstandingly responsive to people's individual belief's, preferences and needs, and people's wellbeing was enhanced by person-centred activity planning. People's individual needs were assessed, and comprehensive care plans and risk assessments were in place to help staff support people in accordance with their preferences.
The service was well led by a management team who were passionate about providing high quality individualised care to people. Robust quality assurance systems and a strong learning culture contributed to continual development and progression of the service. The registered manager told us, "I leave the service and know that people are living their best lives. The care here is consistent and staff are skilled.”
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.
All staff demonstrated extremely compassionate, attentive and caring approaches in their interactions with people. They consistently promoted and encouraged people's independence and treated them with dignity and respect. People and their relatives were complimentary about the approach of the staff and the current management team.
People were supported by staff who understood how to keep them safe from the risk of abuse. Appropriate safeguarding procedures were in place and staff had been trained in how to protect people from abuse.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.
The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.
The model of care and setting maximised people’s choice, control and independence. The care model focused on people’s strengths and promoted what they could do and so people had a fulfilling and meaningful everyday life. People made choices and took part in meaningful activities which were part of their planned care and support. Staff supported them to achieve their aspirations and goals.
Staff actively promoted equality and diversity in their support to people. They understood people’s cultural needs and were able to provide culturally appropriate care. People received kind and compassionate care from staff who protected and respected their privacy and dignity and understood and responded to their individual needs.
People lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives because of the ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of the management and staff. Managers and senior staff modelled good practice and led by example. Staff placed people’s wishes, needs and rights at the heart of everything they did.
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 22 March 2021 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the service being newly registered.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.