Background to this inspection
Updated
28 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
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
This service provides care and support to people living in two ‘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 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 it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 29 November 2019 and ended on 4 December 2019. We visited the office location on 29 November 2019.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and clinical commissioning group (CCG). 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 met and spoke with seven people who used the service. We spoke with seven members of staff including the registered manager and support workers. During the office visit we also spoke by telephone to two professionals who regularly visit the service.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and their medication records. We looked at four 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 received feedback via our website from one person and by email from a relative. We telephoned three relatives for feedback and received email feedback from three professionals involved with the service. We continued to seek clarification from the registered manager to validate evidence found. We looked at training data, quality assurance records, compliments and other information the registered manager sent us.
Updated
28 January 2020
About the service
Sandhills is a supported living service that provides support and personal care to nine people in two flats in a converted house. There is a separate office to the two flats. Each flat has a shared kitchen, dining area, bathroom and lounge. The service was previously registered with CQC as a care home and changed to a supported living service in April 2019.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Relatives and professionals said this was an exceptional service that really had the best interests of people at its heart. They described the support people received service as outstanding. The exemplary values of the service promoted people's independence and meant they lived meaningful, fulfilled lives. There was a very strong ethos to support people to develop skills in all aspects of their lives and be included as valued members of the community.
People received a personalised service from friendly, supportive staff. People said they really liked the staff and enjoyed being with them. Staff knew people's needs and preferences very well. Relatives spoke highly of the staff team and registered manager and said they made sure people had enjoyable experiences and a happy and varied social life.
The responsive care and support people received had a positive impact on their lives. There was an emphasis on personalised, meaningful activity that was based on people’s interests and experiences. People took part in activities both at home and in the local community.
People were encouraged to make their own decisions and staff understood how people communicated their choices. Staff made sure that people were treated with dignity and respect and in a way that was free from discrimination.
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.
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.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff assisted them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
Staff received core and specialist training and support to assist people in the right way with their individual preferred lifestyles.
Staff praised the culture of the registered manager and staff team. They were all committed to providing high quality, person-centred support for people to be able to live purposeful lives.
There had been significant improvements in the way the service was managed. The provider had addressed the previous shortfalls in the overall governance of the service.
The service was well led by a registered manager that was approachable and respected by the people, relatives, professionals and staff. There were robust quality assurance systems in place to drive improvement and ensure the home offered a safe, effective, caring and responsive service.
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 requires improvement (published 21 March 2018). This rating was whilst the service was a care home. This rating was whilst the service was a care home and the shortfalls related to heating and hot water management issues. We have used the previous rating to inform our planning and decisions about the rating at this inspection.
The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating and the date of the change of services provided.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.