Care Connex

Updated 23 November 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

This inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

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.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we held about the service. This included details about incidents the provider must notify us about, such as allegations of abuse, and accident and incidents. 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. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We tried to speak with people who used the service. However, only a small number of people who used the service were able to provide us with verbal feedback because they had complex needs. We spoke with two people who used the service and three relatives. We also spoke with the registered manager, the scheme manager, the deputy chief executive and three support workers. We reviewed a variety of records which related to people's care and the running of the service. These records included care files of four people using the service, four staff employment records, policies and procedures, maintenance and quality monitoring records.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate the evidence found. We looked at training data, quality assurance questionnaires and other quality assurance records. We also sought information from the local safeguarding team, who monitors the service regularly.

Updated 23 November 2019

About the service

Community Solutions (part of Harrow Mencap) is a domiciliary care agency, which provides personal care support to people and children with learning disabilities, autism and behaviours that challenges the service in their own home. On the day of our inspection 12 people received support which was carried out by 21 care workers.

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 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

People felt safe and had confidence in the staff who took care of them. Safe recruitment practices were in place and people were supported by staff that knew them well. People were protected from the risk of harm and staff knew how to raise any concerns. Policies and procedures were also in place to guide staff. The service did not routinely manage medication, but all staff had undergone training to ensure their competency.

People received care from staff who had been supported in their role through regular supervision. Staff had completed an induction programme and undertook regular training to meet the requirements of their role. 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.

Staff were caring and passionate about their role and knew people's needs and preferences well. People's privacy and dignity was respected, and their independence promoted.

Care plans and risk assessments were person centred and were regularly reviewed. Staff had developed a strong relationship with the people they supported. Harrow Mencap also facilitated activities and work-based opportunities that were meaningful to people, depending on the care package people received support from the care agency to access activities.

Regular checks and audits were carried out to determine the quality and safety of the care and support being provided. Feedback was sought from people living at the service, their relatives and staff to ensure standards were being maintained and to help drive forward improvements. People and their relatives spoke positively about the service and management team. The management of the service had a positive culture of person centred, high quality and compassionate care. Managers were described as “hands on”, passionate, approachable and supportive.

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.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update - The last rating for this service was Good. The last report was published (8 August 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.