Archived: Positive Support For You CIC

Updated 31 January 2019

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection site visit took place on 27 November 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours' notice of the inspection visit because the service provides a domiciliary care service and we had to make sure staff would be in.

Inspection site visit activity started on 27 November 2018 and ended on 06 December 2018. It included speaking to staff and relatives via telephone interviews. We visited the office location on 27 November 2018 to see the registered manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures. The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector. We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they play to make. We also reviewed the information that we held about the service. This included any statutory notifications received. Statutory notifications are specific pieces of information about events that happen within the service, which the provider is required to send to us by law.

Prior to our inspection we sought feedback from the local authority contracts monitoring and safeguarding adults’ teams, and reviewed the information they provided. We also contacted Healthwatch, who are the independent consumer champion for people who use health and social care services to obtain their feedback. We used the feedback gathered from these parties to inform our inspection and judgements.

During the inspection, we spoke with one person’s relative who used the service and four members of staff including the registered manager and nominated individual. We reviewed the care records for one person receiving the related activity and the recruitment records for two members of staff. We reviewed policies, procedures, audits and records relating to how the service is ran.

Updated 31 January 2019

Positive Support For You CIC is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care and support to people living in their own homes. It provides a service to a range of people including those living with mental health needs and physical disabilities. At the time of inspection there were 25 people using the service and five were receiving the regulated activity of personal care.

At the last inspection the service was rated good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

There was a registered manager in post who had been registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) since May 2015. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The registered manager was aware of their responsibilities and had a clear strategy and vision for the service in partnership with the provider's organisational vision. This was to support people to achieve their needs and wishes.

There was a robust governance framework in place which was used to monitor the quality of the service provided to people. There were monthly audits completed by the registered manager and the provider. Notifications were submitted to the Commission appropriately.

People accessing the service were supported to maintain social relationships and participate in activities that they chose. Relatives told us that staff continued to respect people’s privacy and provide kind and caring support responsive to people’s needs. Staff were knowledgeable about people they supported. Medicines were safely managed. Staff supported people with their medication. There was a business continuity plan in place to enable people to receive their care in emergency situations.

People had personal and environmental risk assessments in their care files, to ensure the safety of staff and people. Care plans were person-centred and people, their relatives and advocates had all been involved in their care planning and consented to the care provided. The service worked in partnership with health professionals, for example the district nursing team and positive behavioural support team, to ensure people received a high level of quality care. People were supported with their diet and to make well balanced meals. People were regularly asked for their choices for the type of support they received, for example social visits and types of personal care, and for continual feedback.

There were policies and procedures in place to keep people safe. Staffing levels reflected the needs of people. Staff were recruited safely and were provided with an in-depth induction. The registered manager continuously assessed the skills of staff and provided an on-going training programme, which was delivered face to face or via e-learning. The service provided information to staff on best practice guidance and legislation. Staff received regular supervisions and appraisals.

There was a comprehensive complaints and compliments policy in place at the service. Relatives told us they knew how to raise a complaint. One complaint had been received at the service since our last inspection and was fully investigated and actioned by the provider. People received service user guides which included information about the service, safeguarding, information about service user interests and complaints. All information was available in easy read, pictorial and if needed in other languages.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.