Background to this inspection
Updated
10 December 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.
As part of this inspection, we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.
Inspection team
Two inspectors carried out the inspection
Service and service type
This service provides care and support to people living in 7 ‘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.
This service also provides outreach support. It provides personal care to two people living in their own flats and family homes.
Registered Manager
This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave a short period notice of the inspection because some of the people using it could not consent to a home visit from an inspector. This meant that we had to arrange for a ‘best interests’ decision about this.
Inspection activity started on 07 November 2022 and ended on 12 November 2022. We visited the location’s office and three supported living locations on 07 November 2022.
What we did before inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used all this information to plan our inspection. 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 visited three supported living tenancies and met six people. We observed people's interactions with staff and if they were happy and comfortable in their presence. We looked to see if people’s homes reflected their personalities, met their physical and sensory needs, was clean and if the culture was caring and empowering.
On the day of the inspection, we spoke with the registered manager, service director and four care staff. On a separate day we spoke with four care staff and four relatives.
We reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s support plans, several medication records and three staff recruitment files. We looked at a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures, risk assessments and audits. After the inspection we looked at training data and quality assurance records and continued to seek clarification from the registered manager to validate evidence found.
Updated
10 December 2022
About the service
Creative Support – Chorley Service supports people who have a learning disability in their own home and provides personal care in line with a 'supported living' model. Supported living is a way of supporting people in their own home with their personal care or support arranged separately with a specialist provider.
Everyone supported by Creative Support – Chorley supported living service had their own tenancy agreement. At the time of the inspection 21 people were receiving support from the service. The service also had an outreach programme providing support to people living with their family or carer. At the time of the inspection 2 people were receiving support from the service.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
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.
Right Support:
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. When people lacked capacity to make specific decisions, we found the service was following the best interests principle. Relevant authorisations had been granted by the Court of Protection where people’s liberties were deprived.
People’s needs were assessed, and care plans were developed to promote positive risk taking. People’s homes and decor was personalised and reflected their personalities, showing their choices and decisions had been respected. Adjustments had been made in people’s homes to promote their independence and keep them safe. Staff had been employed following robust recruitment procedures and were trained in the safe storage and administration of medicines. Staff were knowledgeable on what actions to take should they witness any safeguarding concerns or hear any allegations of abuse.
Right Care:
The service had enough staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe. Staff knew the people they were supporting well, including their health and wellbeing needs. Staff were trained and skilled to offer support and guidance to quickly lessen or minimise people’s distress. Staff and visitors had access to protective personal equipment to limit the risk of infection. Staff knew how to ensure people had the option of eating a healthy diet.
Right Culture:
People had the option of carrying out their daily living tasks and leisure activities in their local area. When people had chosen to opt out of certain tasks their decisions had been respected. Staff told us they could raise concerns with managers and feel safe and supported. People were comfortable and relaxed in the company of staff. People and staff had a friendly rapport and people had a positive relationship with the registered manager that included laughs and hugs. The provider carried out regular audits and could evidence lessons were learnt when things went wrong. The management team worked alongside staff and with outside agencies to keep people safe and achieve their goals.
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 08 November 2017).
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Creative Support - Chorley on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.