Background to this inspection
Updated
21 May 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 two inspectors.
Service and service type:
ALS Support Limited t/a ALS Support is a domiciliary care agency providing to support to people in their own homes.
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:
The inspection was announced. We gave the service short notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the registered manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.
Inspection site visit activity started on 16 April 2019 and ended on 24 April 2019. We visited the office location on 24 April 2019 to see the registered manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures.
What we did:
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection in October 2016. This included details about incidents the provider must notify us about. We asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also sought feedback from the local authority safeguarding and contracting teams.
None of the four people receiving personal care were able to communicate verbally with us. We therefore spoke with two people’s relatives on the telephone to gain their views on the care provided. We spoke with the registered manager and four support staff.
We reviewed a range of records. These included two people’s care records and three people’s medication records. We looked at two staff files, meeting minutes, documents relating to the management of medicines and quality monitoring records.
Updated
21 May 2019
About the service:
ALS Support Limited t/a ALS Support is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people with learning disabilities living in their own homes. Not everyone using ALS Support Limited t/a ALS Support receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection the service was providing personal care to four people.
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 lead meaningful lives that include choice, control and independence. People receiving the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
People’s experience of using this service:
None of the four people using the service were able to tell us their views about their care due to their complex needs. However, relatives were very satisfied with the service provided.
People received consistently high standards of person-centred care from regular support staff who knew them well and understood their communication needs. Staff understood how to manage any risks to people and knew the processes to follow to manage any allegations of abuse.
Care records provided detailed information about people’s needs and preferences. People’s health care and nutritional needs were well managed and they received their medicines when they needed them.
Staff were kind, compassionate and caring. They treated people with respect and maintained their privacy and dignity.
Staff were trained and competent in meeting the specialist needs of the people they supported. Recruitment processes ensured staff were suitable to work in the care service.
The service was well organised. Relatives told us staff arrived on time and had enough time to provide support without rushing. Staff told us they loved their jobs and were well supported.
Relatives and staff praised the management of the service. The registered manager was actively involved in delivering the service and worked alongside the staff supporting them and making sure the quality of care was maintained. Effective audits and checks helped them in this process.
Rating at last inspection: At the last inspection the service was rated Good (report published 25 October 2016)
Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating awarded at the last inspection.
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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk