Background to this inspection
Updated
9 July 2019
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
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
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.
The service had three managers 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 a short period notice of the inspection. This is so we could seek consent from people to visit them in their own homes.
Inspection activity started on 17 June 2019 and ended on 18 June 2019. We visited the office location on 18 June 2019.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed the information we held about the service such as notifications. These are events that happen in the service the provider is required to tell us about by law. We sought feedback from ten local authorities and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We visited eleven people living in their own homes and spoke about their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with twelve members of staff, a registered manager and the managing director.
We reviewed a range of records. This included eight people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three 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 reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate the evidence found. We looked at the Participation Strategy and Engagement plan. This set out the plans for the distribution of satisfaction questionnaires.
Updated
9 July 2019
About the service
North West Regional Office, known to people using the service and staff as Community Integrated Care, is a supported living service providing personal care to people who lived in their own homes. 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. At the time of the inspection, 347 people were receiving a service.
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 received planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that was appropriate and inclusive for them.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they felt safe and staff were kind and caring. Staff understood how to protect people from harm or discrimination and had access to safeguarding adults’ procedures. There were sufficient numbers of staff deployed to meet people's needs and ensure their safety. The provider operated an effective recruitment procedure to ensure prospective staff were suitable to work for the service. The staff carried out risk assessments to enable people to retain their independence and receive care with minimum risk to themselves or others. People were protected from the risks associated with the spread of infection.
People received their medicines safely and were supported to eat and drink in accordance with their support plan.
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. People’s needs were assessed prior to them using the service. The provider had appropriate arrangements to ensure staff received training relevant to their role. New staff completed an induction training programme. Staff felt well supported by the management team.
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
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.
Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect and spent time getting to know them and their specific needs and wishes. Staff spoke with people in a friendly manner and people’s support plans reflected their likes and dislikes. Our observations during the inspection, were of positive and warm interactions between staff and people. Staff were motivated and demonstrated a clear commitment to providing dignified and compassionate support. People were supported and encouraged to participate in a range of activities. People and their relatives had access to a clear complaints procedure.
The registered managers monitored the quality of the service provided and ensured people received safe and effective care. This included seeking and responding to feedback from people in relation to the standard of care. The management team and staff made regular checks on all aspects of care provision and actions were taken to continuously improve people's experience of care.
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 this service was good (published 31 December 2016).
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for North West Regional Office on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
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.