Archived: Voyage (DCA) (North 3)

Updated 6 September 2017

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 inspection took place on 14 and 19 July 2017 and was announced. One adult social care inspector carried out this inspection.

Before we visited the service we checked the information we held about this location and the service provider, for example, inspection history, statutory notifications and complaints. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send to the Commission by law. We also contacted professionals involved in caring for people who used the service, including commissioners and safeguarding staff.

Before the 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. We used this information to inform our inspection.

During our inspection we spoke with three people who used the service and two family members. We also spoke with two team leaders and two members of staff.

We looked at the care records of three people who used the service. We also looked at the personnel files for three members of staff and records relating to the management of the service, such as quality audits, policies and procedures.

Updated 6 September 2017

This inspection took place on 14 and 19 July 2017 and was announced. This was to ensure someone would be available to speak with us and show us records. During our inspection, we visited the office and a house where people who used the service were supported.

Voyage (DCA) (North 3) provides care and support to people with a learning disability who live in their own home or a supported living environment. On the day of our inspection there were 22 people using the service.

The service had a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like 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. The registered manager was on annual leave at the time of our inspection.

Accidents and incidents were appropriately recorded and investigated. Risk assessments were in place for staff and people who used the service and were regularly reviewed. Staff understood their responsibilities with regard to safeguarding and had been trained in safeguarding vulnerable adults.

Appropriate health and safety checks had been carried out to ensure people lived in a safe environment.

Medicines were stored safely and securely, and procedures were in place to ensure people received medicines as prescribed.

There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty in order to meet the needs of people who used the service. The provider had an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place and carried out relevant vetting checks when they employed staff. Staff were suitably trained and training was arranged for any due or overdue refresher training. Staff received regular supervisions and appraisals.

The provider was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and was following legal requirements in respect of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

People were protected from the risk of poor nutrition and staff were aware of people’s nutritional needs. Care records contained evidence of people being supported during visits to and from external health care specialists.

People who used the service and family members were complimentary about the standard of care at Voyage (DCA) (North 3). Staff treated people with dignity and respect and helped to maintain people’s independence by encouraging them to care for themselves where possible.

Care records showed that people’s needs were assessed before they started using the service and care plans were written in a person-centred way. Person-centred is about ensuring the person is at the centre of any care or support plans and their individual wishes, needs and choices are taken into account.

People were able to access education and employment opportunities, and activities were arranged for people based on their likes and interests, and to help meet their social needs. The service had good links with the local community.

People who used the service and family members were aware of how to make a complaint and said they did not have any complaints to make.

The provider had an effective quality assurance process in place. Staff felt supported by the management team and were comfortable raising any concerns. People who used the service, family members and staff were regularly consulted about the quality of the service via meetings and surveys. Family members told us the management team were approachable and communication was good.