Axcelence Limited

Updated 2 April 2020

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 carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

Axcelence Care is a supported living service. This service provides care and support to 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 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 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

Inspection activity took place on 4 March 2020 . We visited the office location and all four services.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work 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 all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with nine people who used the service and two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the registered manager.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.

Updated 2 April 2020

About the service

Axcelence Care is a supported living service providing personal care to people with learning disabilities or mental health needs. At the time of the inspection, 15 people were using the service. People lived across four supported living services in a residential area. Within the four services people had ensuite bedrooms, communal spaces and large gardens to access.

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.

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

Systems had been established to safeguard people from the risk of abuse. Individual risks had been assessed, and people were protected from the risk of harm related to their individual support needs and the service had systems in place to prevent the spread of infection. Medicines were being managed in a safe manner. There were enough staff working at the service and pre-employment checks were carried out on prospective staff. The service recorded accidents and incidents to provide safe care and support.

Assessments were undertaken to determine people's needs before they moved into the service. Staff received training to support them in their roles. Staff were provided with ongoing support through supervisions and appraisals and received an induction to enable them to provide effective care and support. People's nutritional needs were met, and people were supported to choose their meals and go shopping for ingredients. People received care and support from relevant healthcare professionals. 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.

People were treated in a caring manner by staff and the staff understood what life was like for people living in the service. People and their relatives were involved in the planning and reviewing of their care. Staff understood how to support people in a way that respected their dignity, privacy and promoted their independence.

People received person-centred care that met their needs. People were supported to engage in their local community and participate in activities of their choice. Information was provided to people in an accessible format. People told us they felt able to make a complaint and were confident complaints would be listened to and acted on. People's end of life wishes were discussed and documented.

People engaged with the registered manager and the service was managed well. There were processes in place to manage and monitor the quality of the service provided. The registered manager kept up to date with best practice to ensure a high-quality service was being delivered and received feedback well to improve the service.

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

Rating at last inspection (and update)

At the last inspection the service was rated good (Published 2 October 2017.)

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

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