The Orpheus Centre

Updated 1 January 2020

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.

Service and service type

The service is a domiciliary agency that provides personal care and support to students living in a supported living setting. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate the premises used for supported living. This inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

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

This inspection was carried out on the 9 December 2019 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from 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 this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with five students and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, care workers and the chef. We also spoke with member of the college’s therapy team. We reviewed a range of records. These included three students care records and medication records. We looked at staff files in relation to recruitment and supervision and 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 evidence found. We also looked at training data and quality assurance records.

Updated 1 January 2020

The Orpheus Centre domiciliary service provides personal care to students living in a supported living setting, in the grounds of The Orpheus Centre, a performing arts college for young disabled adults. The students are younger adults with a variety of disabilities that include sensory, physical, learning disabilities or autistic spectrum conditions and have a declared interest in the performing arts. At the time of our inspection 24 students were using the 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. Student’s using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

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

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that students can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. The outcomes for students reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. Support for students focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

Appropriate recruitment checks had taken place before staff started work and there were enough staff available to meet the student’s care and support needs. The service had safeguarding procedures in place and staff had a clear understanding of these procedures. Risks to students had been assessed to ensure their needs were safely met. Student’s medicines were managed safely. The service had procedures in place to reduce the risk of infections.

Student’s care and support needs were assessed when they attended the college. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to support student’s appropriately. Staff were supported through induction, training and regular supervision. Students were supported to maintain a healthy balanced diet and had access to health care professionals when they needed them. Students 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.

Students and their relatives (where appropriate) had been consulted about their care and support needs. The service had a complaints procedure in place. Students end of life care needs and wishes where considered. The registered manager worked in partnership with education and health and social care providers to plan and deliver an effective service. There were systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service and any learning was identified and acted on. The provider took students and staff views into account through satisfaction surveys. Staff enjoyed working at the service and said they received good support from the registered manager.

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 27 January 2017).

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.