Background to this inspection
Updated
2 August 2023
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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector. An Assistant Inspector contacted relatives over the telephone following the inspection.
Service and service type
This service provides care and support to people living in ‘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.
Registered Manager
This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.
At the time of our inspection there were two registered managers in post with collective responsibility for the service.
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 started on 2 February 2023 and ended on 1 March 2023. We visited the location’s office on 2 February and 1 March 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection and we sought feedback from the local authority in relation to the concerns received. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with 6 people (who consented to speak with us) in their own homes and 13 members of staff, including the regional operations director, both registered managers, the quality lead, service managers, team leaders and care and support staff.
We reviewed a range of records. This included 11 people’s care records and 5 medication records. We looked at 2 staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. We also viewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service including training records and policies and procedures.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training records and quality assurance records. We spoke with 1one professional who worked with the service and 2 relatives about their experience of the care provided to people.
Updated
2 August 2023
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.
About the service
Lifeways Community Care Limited (Walsall) is registered to provide personal care services to people in their own homes or supported living. People the service supports have a range of needs including physical disability and learning disability. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection look at people’s personal care and support.
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. At the time of the inspection there were 40 people receiving support which was overseen by 2 registered managers across 20 locations.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Right Support:
Not all staff training and competency checks were up to date and further work was required to address this to ensure all staff had the skills to meet people’s needs.
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.
Staff knew people well and people told us they felt safe when supported by staff, but some people’s care plans did not contain up to date or correct information about how to meet their needs.
Right Culture:
The registered managers responded quickly to the concerns we identified on inspection, however, it was acknowledged the existing systems and processes in place were not providing them with effective oversight of the service and the people and staff they were responsible for.
Management’s plans to improve quality assurance systems had not been fully implemented and the registered managers had to rely on other, less effective methods of gathering information in order to provide them with oversight of the service.
The service was supported by two registered managers, who were working closely together to promote a positive culture within the service. People and staff told us they felt supported and were able to raise any concerns confident they would be listened to and dealt with appropriately.
Right Care:
Across the different supported living settings we visited, we found people received person centred care and were treated with dignity and respect. People were supported by staff who were aware of what was important to them and how they wished to spend their time.
Staff had received training in safeguarding people from poor care and abuse and were aware of their responsibilities to report and act on any concerns that came to their attention.
People told us the staff who supported them were kind and caring and we observed positive relationships between staff and people being supported by 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 (published 27 April 2021)
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about moving and handling practices. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.
During the inspection, the provider took action to mitigate any potential risks that were bought to their attention.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Lifeways Community Care Limited (Walsall) on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Enforcement
We have identified breaches in relation to regulation 17 good governance and regulation 18 staffing at this inspection.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.