Background to this inspection
Updated
23 March 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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide 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. The experts’ area of expertise was sensory impairment.
Service and service type:
Millward Place provides care and support to people living in a 'supported living' setting, so that they can live as independently as possible.
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 visit because we needed to ensure someone would be available to assist us with our inspection. We visited the office location on 26 February 2019 to see the provider, registered manager and staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures. Inspection site visit activity ended on 26 February 2019.
What we did:
When planning our inspection, we looked at the information we held about the service. This included the Provider Information Return (PIR), notifications received from the provider about deaths, safeguarding alerts and serious injuries, which they are required to send us by law. Providers are required to send us key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We also asked stakeholders, such as the local authority safeguarding team and commissioners, for their views of the service.
During our inspection visit to the office, we met and spoke with five people who used the service to ask about their experience of care and support. The expert by experience contacted people and their relatives by telephone on the day of the inspection to seek their feedback on their experience of the service. In addition, we spoke with the nominated individual, the registered manager, one senior support worker and three support workers. We used this information to form part of our judgement.
We looked at two people's care records to see how their care and treatment was planned and delivered. Other records looked at included two recruitment files to check suitable staff members were recruited and received appropriate training. We also sampled records relating to the management of the service along with a selection of the provider's policies and procedures, to ensure people received a good quality service.
Details are in the 'Key Questions' below
Updated
23 March 2019
About the service: Millward Place provides care and support to people living in a 'supported living' settings, 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. At the time of our inspection they were supporting nine people with a visual impairment who received the regulated activity of personal care.
People’s experience of using this service:
¿ People told us they felt safe. People were protected from potential risk of harm because staff had an understanding of how to spot signs of abuse and how to report concerns within the organisation and externally.
¿ Risks to people were assessed and staff were aware of these risks and how to minimise them.
¿ People and their relatives told us there was enough staff to meet people's needs.
¿ Staff told us and records confirmed that the appropriate pre- employments checks had been completed before they started working at the service.
¿ Although people received their medicines as prescribed the systems in place for the management of medicines needed improvement.
¿ Staff told us they used protective equipment such as gloves and aprons for prevention and control of infection.
¿ People's needs and choices were assessed by the management team before they begun to use the service.
¿ People told us they were supported by staff who had the relevant skills to meet their needs.
¿ People told us they were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced diet and were supported to access ongoing health support.
¿ People were assisted to have maximum choice and control over their lives.
¿ People told us they were cared for by staff who treated them with respect and dignity and encouraged them to maintain their independence.
¿ People described how they were able to express their views in making decisions about their lives.
¿ The service ensured the planning of care for people was personalised and responsive to people’s individual needs.
¿ Complaints received had been investigated and resolved. People and their relatives knew who to contact if they had any complaints.
¿ The service had some effective systems and procedures in place to monitor and assess the quality of their service. However, some had not identified where improvement was needed.
¿ People who used the service, their relatives and staff members gave us positive feedback about the service and the management.
¿ One person told us, “The staff treat us all with genuine respect in care. They listen to what we ask of them and they support us in the manner that suits us too.”
The service did not meet some of the characteristics of Good in one area and more information is in the detailed findings below.
Rating at last inspection: The service was rated Requires Improvement overall. Our last report was published on 11 November 2016.
Why we inspected: This inspection was part of our scheduled plan of visiting services to check the safety and quality of care people received.
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.