Archived: Churchview care Services (Taunton)

Updated 12 July 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Before the inspection the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements the plan to make. We looked at the information in the PIR and also looked at other information we held about the service before the inspection visit.

This was the care provider’s first inspection since they re-registered at their new address in 2016. The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector.

During the inspection we visited and spoke with four people in their individual homes. We also spoke with the provider, registered manager, team leader and five staff members. We looked at documentation relating to four people who used the service, four staff recruitment and training records and records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 12 July 2017

This inspection took place on 17 March 2017. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure the registered manager would be available for the inspection. It also enabled us to arrange to visit people receiving a service in their own homes, with their permission.

Church View Care Services (Taunton) provides personal care and a range of support services to people living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection there were 41 people being supported by the service.

The service provided domiciliary support to people in their own homes and a supported living service. A supported living service is where people have a tenancy agreement with a landlord and receive their care and support from a care provider. As the housing and care arrangements were entirely separate, people can choose to change their care provider if they wished without losing their home.

During our inspection the registered manager was present. 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.

The service demonstrated a strong and visible person centred culture and they were committed to providing a service which put people at the heart of everything they did. People felt safe, had trust in the staff who visited them and knew who to contact if they were worried about their safety. One person said “I feel very safe with the support I receive”. Staff were able to recognise different forms of abuse, understood the provider's safeguarding and whistle blowing procedures and knew who to contact if they had any concerns.

The registered manager was committed, knowledgeable and organised within their leadership. They provided clear and confident guidance and demonstrated strong values in all aspects of their role. Staff consistently told us they felt well supported and valued and they were very happy at work. The culture at the service was open, transparent and welcoming. One care worker told us, “I love my job and all the people I work with, we are like one big family”.

There were sufficient staff at the service to provide care and support to people. Appropriate recruitment checks were undertaken before staff started work. People managed their own medicines independently; however staff had received training if they ever need to offer additional support.

The service managed people's risk and kept people safe, whilst ensuring they had a full and meaningful life. Staff had received training in how to recognise and report

abuse and were confident any allegations would be taken seriously and investigated to help ensure people were protected.

Care was planned and delivered in a way that was personalised to each person. Staff monitored people’s healthcare needs and, where changes in needs were identified, care was adjusted to make sure people continued to receive care which met their needs and supported their independence. People were at the centre of decision making about their care. One person told us, “My keyworkers always sits with me and we talk about how things are going. They talk about my care plan and makes changes if we need to”. People confirmed they received regular support from staff they knew well.

Care records were personalised, up to date and accurately reflected people's care and support needs. The care plans included information about peoples' likes, interests and background and provided staff with sufficient information to enable them to provide care effectively. The service actively built links with the local community that enhanced people's sense of wellbeing and quality of life. People were supported to participate in activities, hobbies and work placements

It was clear that staff understood people's needs and how to communicate with people. Staff had supported people to use information which helped them communicate more easily.

All staff had a clear understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and how to make sure people who did not have the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves had their legal rights protected. They were aware of when someone may need to receive a mental capacity assessment and who to report this to. A care worker said, “We know people we support can make bad decisions but that is their right. Our job is to respect their decision but make sure we have control measures in place to keep them safe.”

There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and plan on-going improvements. People using the service and staff felt involved and able to make suggestions or raise concerns.

The provider and registered manager demonstrated an understanding of the importance of effective quality monitoring. The systems in place enabled checks of the service provided to people and to ensure they were able to express their views so improvements could be made.

Complaints, concerns and feedback were taken seriously and used as an opportunity to improve the service. The registered manager had informed the CQC of significant events. Records were accurate, well maintained and kept securely.