Unique Contact and Community Services Limited

Updated 4 September 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

The inspection was carried out by one 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.

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. The registered manager was unavailable on the day of our inspection. We were supported by senior managers and the co-director of the provider organisation.

Notice of inspection

Our inspection was announced and took place on 8 August 2019. We gave the provider 72 hours' notice 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

Before the inspection, we reviewed relevant information that we had about the service including any notifications of incidents affecting the safety and wellbeing of people. A notification is information about important events, which the provider is required to tell us about by law. We also checked the last inspection report.

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 also spoke with the registered manager by telephone. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with the centre manager, the care supervisor, the co-director and three care staff. We also spoke with five relatives. We were unable to speak with people who used the service due to their needs.

We reviewed documents and records that related to people’s care and the management of the service. We reviewed four care plans and five staff recruitment files. We also looked at staff training records, audits, rotas, complaint and incident records.

After the inspection

We continued to seek further evidence and clarification from the provider, which we have included in the report. We requested feedback from social care professionals.

Updated 4 September 2019

About the service

Unique Contact and Community Services Limited provides personal care to adults, children and young adults under the age of 19, living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection, the service provided personal care to 10 people. 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.

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.

The service supported young people with learning disabilities and/or autism in line with these principles.

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

Relatives told us the service was safe for their family members. There were procedures to protect people from abuse. Risks associated with their needs were assessed and staff understood how to reduce these risks.

People were supported with their medicines, which were recorded by staff. Audits took place to check staff had followed correct medicine procedures. There was a procedure to review accidents and incidents in the service to prevent reoccurrence. Staff followed safe practices to prevent and control infections.

Staff were recruited safely and their backgrounds checked before they started working for the service. Staff were supported with training and development to ensure their skills and knowledge were up to date.

People 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. We have made a recommendation for the provider to source Mental Capacity Act (2005) training as part of its staff induction programme because some staff were unclear of its principles.

People were supported with maintaining their health and nutrition. The service worked in collaboration with health care professionals, to ensure their health needs were met.

Staff were respectful and caring towards people. Staff communicated with them appropriately, according to their communication needs. Staff understood the importance of promoting equality and diversity. However, we have made a recommendation for the provider to seek guidance on following current equalities legislation because their procedures were out of date.

People or their relatives were supported to make complaints or contact the office to discuss concerns they had. Care plans were personalised. People were encouraged to maintain their independence and attend community events or activities.

Staff felt supported by the management team. Quality assurance systems included obtaining feedback from people and relatives. The registered manager was committed to making continual improvements to the 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 Good (report published 27 January 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.