Background to this inspection
Updated
24 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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
A single inspector carried out this inspection. They were supported by 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 ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live as independently as possible.
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 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. People are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us. Inspection activity started on 6 May 2022 and ended on 12 May 2022. We visited the office location on 10 May 2022.
What we did before inspection
We reviewed information we received about the service. We asked the registered manager to send us information in relating to staff training and recruitment, medicines management and quality assurance. We sought feedback from professionals who work with the service. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
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.
During the inspection
We visited two supported living settings and spoke with two people. We also spoke with another two people and five people’s relatives on the telephone about their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with three members of staff, the registered manager and the chief executive. We reviewed a range of records. These included five people’s care records and medication records. We looked at staff records in relation to recruitment, training, supervision and other records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures and quality assurance records.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.
Updated
24 May 2022
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.
About the service
Diagrama Supported Living provides care and support to people living in seven supported living settings. Each setting had a separate staff team with a supported living co-ordinator. The supported living co-ordinators oversaw the running of the settings and reported to the registered manager. At the time of the inspection, 32 people were using the service. There was an office off site from where the registered manager arranged and managed support. CQC does not regulate premises for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s care and support.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
We found the outcomes for people using this service reflected the principles and values of Right support, right care, right culture. These included promotion of choice and control, inclusion and independence. People’s support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain employment, learn new skills and become more independent.
Right support
People’s independence was promoted. Their care and support needs were assessed before they started to use the service. Risks to people had been assessed to ensure their needs were met safely. Staff supported people to find employment, take part in activities and pursue their interests in their local area. There was a complaints procedure in place in formats that people could understand.
Right care
People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity. They understood and responded to their individual needs. People had access to health care professionals when they needed them. The provider had systems in place to support people with end of life care.
Right culture
People received good quality care, support and treatment because staff were trained in areas related to their needs and they received regular supervision from their line manager. People and those important to them were involved in planning their care.
There were safeguarding procedures in place and staff had a clear understanding of these. Robust recruitment checks had taken place before staff started working at the service. There were enough staff available to meet people’s needs.
People’s medicines were managed safely. Staff followed government guidance in relation to infection prevention and control. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
The registered manager and staff worked in partnership with health and social care providers to deliver an effective service. The provider recognised that some of the properties where they provided support were not suitable for supported living and they were working with the local authority to identify alternative properties.
There were systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service and any learning was identified and acted on. Staff said they received good support from the registered manager and the supported living co-ordinators.
Why we inspected
We undertook this inspection to assess that the service is applying the principles of Right support right care right culture.
Rating at last inspection and update
This service was registered with us on 1 April 2021 and this is the first inspection.
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.