Archived: Thera East Anglia

Updated 24 February 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This comprehensive inspection took place between 28 November and 13 December 2017 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it provides a supported living service and the manager may have been out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

The inspection visit was carried out by two inspectors, a specialist pharmacist inspector and an Expert by Experience. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

As part of the inspection, we reviewed the information available to us about the service, such as the notifications that they had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. Before this inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. Questionnaires were sent to people before our inspection and we received three responses.

During our inspection, we visited six people using the service and observed how staff supported and interacted with them. We spoke with 13 members of care staff, the registered manager and the provider’s representative. We checked eight people’s care records and medicines administration records (MARs). We checked records relating to how the service is run and monitored, such as audits, accidents and incidents forms, staff recruitment, training and health and safety records.

Updated 24 February 2018

Thera East Anglia is a service that provides care and support to people living in 52 ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. It is also a domiciliary care agency, which provides care and support to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults and younger adults. 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.

People using the service lived in a range of single occupancy houses, houses with two people sharing and multi-occupancy houses shared by up to five people. Houses in multiple occupation are properties where at least three people in more than one household share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities. Not everyone using Thera East Anglia receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

We undertook an announced comprehensive inspection of Thera East Anglia between 28 November and 13 December 2017. At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated good

There was a registered manager in post at the time of our visit. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Staff knew how to respond to possible harm and how to reduce risks to people. Lessons were learnt about accidents and incidents and these were shared with staff members to ensure changes were made to staff practise or the environment, to reduce further occurrences. There were enough staff who had been recruited properly to make sure they were suitable to work with people. Medicines were stored and administered safely. Regular cleaning made sure that infection control was maintained.

People were cared for by staff who had received the appropriate training and had the skills and support to carry out their roles. Staff members understood and complied with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People received a choice of meals, which they liked, and staff supported them to eat and drink. They were referred to health care professionals as needed and staff followed the advice professionals gave them. Adaptations were made to ensure people were safe and able to move around their home as independently as possible.

Staff were caring, kind and treated people with respect. People were listened to and were involved in their care and what they did on a day to day basis. People’s right to privacy was maintained by the actions and care given by staff members.

People’s personal and health care needs were met and care records guided staff in how to do this. There were numerous activities for people to do and take part in and people were able to spend time with their peers and take part in cultural and religious activities. A complaints system was in place and there was information in alternative formats so people knew who to speak with if they had concerns.

Staff worked well together and felt supported by the management team, which promoted a culture for staff to provide person centred care. The provider’s monitoring process looked at systems throughout the service, identified issues and staff took the appropriate action to resolve these. People’s views were sought and changes made if this was needed.

Further information is in the detailed findings below