Archived: Brandon Supported Living - Cotswold

Updated 30 December 2015

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, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector, who visited on 28 and 29 October 2015. We last visited the service on 5 February 2014 and found no breaches of regulations.

We used a variety of methods to obtain feedback from those with knowledge and experience of the service.

Prior to the inspection we looked at the information we had about the service. This information included the statutory notifications that the provider had sent to CQC. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. We looked at monitoring reports completed by local authorities following visits they had carried out.

Before the inspection we contacted three health and social care professionals who had contact with the service. We reviewed the information they gave us. We did not ask the provider to complete a Provider Information Record (PIR) before the inspection. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, tells us what the service does well and the improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection we talked with ten people using the service. Four people were unable to communicate verbally with us. We spent time observing how they were cared for. Two people had gone out with staff when we visited. We visited people at each of the four supported living services. The provider had asked people if they were willing to speak to us prior to our visit. We talked with relatives of three people using the service. We talked with four care workers and both registered managers.

We looked at the care records of five people, the recruitment and personnel records of three staff, training records for all staff, staff duty rotas and other records relating to the management of the service. We looked at a range of policies and procedures including, safeguarding, whistleblowing, complaints, mental capacity and deprivation of liberty, recruitment, confidentiality, accidents and incidents and equality and diversity.

Updated 30 December 2015

Brandon Supported Living – Cotswold is a domiciliary care service providing care and support to people in their own homes which are supported living services. When we visited 16 people were using the service at four separate addresses.

The inspection was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice of our inspection. We did this to ensure we would be able to meet with people where they were receiving the service.

There were two registered managers in post at the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider. 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. One registered manager was responsible for two supported living services in Cirencester where ten people received a service. Another was responsible for one supported living service in Stonehouse and one in Gloucester where a total of six people received a service.

People were safe because staff understood their role and responsibilities to keep people safe from harm. They knew how to raise any safeguarding concerns. People were supported to take appropriate risks and promote their independence, with individual plans put in place to protect people from harm. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. The provider carried out pre-employment checks to assess the suitability of staff before they started working with people. Medicines were managed safely and people received their medicines as prescribed. Staff prevented and controlled the risk of infection.

The service was effective because staff had been trained to meet people’s needs. Staff received supervision and appraisal aimed at improving the care and support they provided. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities in supporting people to make their own choices and decisions. People were supported to eat a healthy diet and drink sufficient fluids. People’s health care needs were identified and met.

People received a caring service because staff treated people with dignity and respect. People were actively involved in planning the care and support they received. People were supported to maintain and develop their independence. People were assisted to keep in touch with family and friends.

The service was responsive because the care and support provided was individualised. The service adapted to people’s changing needs. The service made changes in response to people’s views and opinions.

People received a service that was well led because both registered managers and other senior staff provided good leadership and management. The values, vision and culture of the service was clearly communicated and understood. The quality of service people received was continually monitored and any areas needing improvement were identified and addressed.