We carried out a review of the data available to us about Blue Pits Housing Action on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Blue Pits Housing Action, you can give feedback on this service.
Blue Pits Housing Action is a domiciliary care service and supported living service providing personal care to 10 people with a range of needs. These included physical disabilities, mental health needs, sensory impairments, substance misuse difficulties, learning disabilities and young adults. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.
The service has been developed 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. The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People using the service received planned and co-ordinated person-centred support which was appropriate and inclusive for them.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People felt safe and staff understood their safeguarding responsibilities. Individual and generic risk were assessed, and staff understood how to reduce risks and promote good infection control. Safe recruitment processes were followed and there was a stable team of staff who knew people well. There were systems for oversight and the registered manager ensured action was taken in response to any accidents, incidents medicines errors and safeguarding concerns.
People’s needs were assessed, and staff worked closely with other services and healthcare professionals to deliver appropriate support. People were happy with how they were supported to eat and drink, and care records contained information about people’s likes and dislikes. Staff were positive about the training and support they received and felt confident in their job. People were supported to have 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. People's support focused on people’s individual goals and supporting them having as many opportunities as possible.
There was a consistent team of staff supporting people. We were told staff were kind and caring. Staff knew how to promote dignity and encourage people to be independent.
People received individual care and were supported to engage in a range of activities. People felt able to raise concerns and these were investigated and addressed. Information could be adapted to meet people’s needs and people were supported to plan for end of life care.
Staff were committed to driving improvements across the service and worked closely with other organisations to deliver good outcomes. Feedback was obtained from stakeholders to drive improvement and people, families and staff felt able to contribute their views. Staff were clear on their roles and responsibilities and there were suitable systems for auditing and assessing the quality of 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
The last rating for this service was good (16 August 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.
Blue Pits Housing Action provides alternative support solutions to people with learning disabilities and mental health needs. This may involve shared accommodation, supported living or single tenancies.
There was a registered manager at the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.
People told us they felt safe being supported by Blue Pits. Sufficient staff were employed to help people who used the service had their needs met appropriately.
Staff files we looked at evidenced a robust recruitment system. This helped ensure people who were employed were suitable to work with vulnerable people. Medicines were managed safely within the service.
There was a safeguarding adults policy and procedure in place which included relevant guidance and contact numbers. Safeguarding issues had been followed up appropriately. Staff we spoke with demonstrated an understanding of safeguarding issues and how to report any poor practice they may witness.
Appropriate health and safety measures were in place at the service. There was an infection control policy and procedure and staff had undertaken appropriate training.
There was a thorough induction programme at the service which was signed off by a senior manager once the new employee was deemed to be competent. Regular staff supervision sessions took place; mandatory training was undertaken by all staff and extra courses undertaken where required
Care files included appropriate information about people’s support needs. All care and support had been agreed with the person who used the service.
The service was working within the legal requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) (MCA). Staff spoken with demonstrated a good understanding of the principles of the Act.
We spoke with eight people who used the service. Comments were positive about the support received.
We observed support being delivered and saw that staff were polite and respectful. Relationships were friendly and relaxed and people who used the service were comfortable to speak with staff. We saw that privacy and dignity were respected.
The service was inclusive and initiatives such as inviting people who used the service to participate in staff recruitment helped people feel fully involved.
Care records were person-centred and included personal information around how people wished to be supported, their choices and preferences.
People were supported to a range of activities. Some people who used the service were also supported on trips out and holidays.
There was an appropriate complaints policy and procedure and complaints were followed up as required. People who used the service were given information in the form of a tenant handbook which included contact details and information on how to complain.
A range of policies and procedures were available in the office for staff to access when required. Policies were reviewed regularly and if there were updates these were sent out to staff via e mail.
Spot checks were carried out on a regular basis to help ensure the quality of the service remained good. Satisfaction surveys were sent out annually and we saw the results of the most recent surveys which included positive feedback around areas such as staff, support, activities, choices, involvement and views.
A range of audits were undertaken at the service. Incident forms were collated and appropriate actions taken to minimise the risk of further incidents. Monthly staff meetings and tenants meetings took place.