Archived: SENSE - Supported Living Services (Lincolnshire)

Updated 1 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

The inspection was completed by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to three people living in a ‘supported living’ setting, 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 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who worked with the service. 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 used this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We visited the supported living house and spoke with two people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the registered manager, the team leader and two care workers.

We reviewed a range of documents, including two people’s care and medicine records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. We reviewed records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.

After the inspection

We spoke with two relatives by telephone to obtain their views of the service.

Updated 1 November 2019

About the service

Sense – Supported Living Services Lincolnshire is a supported living service offering care and support to three people in their own home who are living with sight or hearing impairment and a learning disability and or autism.

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 was similar to other domestic style properties in the residential area. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

The Secretary of State has asked CQC to conduct a thematic review and to make recommendations about the use of restrictive interventions in settings that provide care for people with or who might have mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or autism. Thematic reviews look in-depth at specific issues concerning quality of care across the health and social care sectors. They expand our understanding of both good and poor practice and of the potential drivers of improvement.

As part of thematic review, we carried out a survey with the registered manager at this inspection. This considered whether the service used any restrictive intervention practices (restraint, seclusion and segregation) when supporting people. The service did not use any restrictive intervention practices.

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

The culture of the service was truly person-centred and empowering. The registered manager and staff had an excellent understanding of people's needs and were committed to providing a service which met their dreams, aspirations and enabled people to live a life of their choosing. Without exception, people were supported to achieve their goals. They had made significant progress and the staff were proud of what people had accomplished and celebrated their achievements with them.

People were fully involved and included in planning all aspects of their care and reviews. Communication systems in the service were very effective and enabled people to make decisions and gain independence.

Strong community inclusion enabled people to live fulfilled and meaningful lives, through accessing a wide variety of local vocational and leisure activities and volunteering opportunities. Staff found ways to improve people's lives by introducing creative activities that provided new experiences for people and encouraged them to be active and healthy.

Staff were very kind and caring and knew what was important and mattered to people. Staff had developed very close, supportive relationships with people that were based on trust and the promotion of people’s confidence and self-worth. People were supported and encouraged to maintain contact with friends and relatives. Respect for equality, diversity and inclusion was fully embedded within the service and integral to everything the staff did.

People felt safe and were able to raise concerns. The registered manager and staff team provided safe care for people. They knew how to safeguard people from abuse and managed risk in ways that supported people to continually follow their lifestyle choices as much as possible. There were sufficient staff available to meet people’s needs and they had been recruited in a safe way.

Accidents and incidents were monitored closely. Staff supported people to manage their anxieties and behaviours in a positive way. Medicines were managed safely. Staff supported people well with all aspects of nutrition and helped people to attend or prepare for health appointments as needed.

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.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

There was a positive, open and caring culture within the service; staff felt listened to and supported and worked well as a team. The management team were approachable and accessible. Systems were in place to improve the quality and safety of the service. People and staff had the opportunity to feedback about the service. People and relatives told us they were very happy with the service they received.

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

Rating at the last inspection

At the last inspection, the service was rated good (published 22 February 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.