Head Office

Updated 7 October 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 was planned to check 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.

This inspection took place on 10 and 18 August 2017 and was the first inspection of the service. We gave the service notice of the inspection because the manager is often out of the office providing support to people and staff. We needed to be sure that they would be there. The inspection was carried out by one inspector. We spoke with the acting manager, the provider’s representative and two members of staff. Following our visit to the office on 10 August 2017 we visited people in their homes on 18 August 2017 and spoke with two people and one member of staff. We also received the views of three relatives of people using the service and one social care professional by e mail.

We reviewed records for people using the service and checked records relating to staff recruitment, support and training and the management of the service. 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 they plan to make. We also reviewed information we have about the service including notifications. A notification is a report about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

Updated 7 October 2017

Head Office provides personal care in a supported living service to people with a range of needs including learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection visit the service was being provided to three people.

Head Office had a registered manager in post. 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.

We heard positive views about the service such as, “We have no concerns regarding Gemini Assisted Living - only praise” and “My son has settled well into Gemini Assisted Living which shows how much support he has received through his transition.”

People were enabled to live safely; risks to their safety were identified, assessed and appropriate action taken. People's medicines were safely managed. There was a strong emphasis on promoting healthy eating and people’s general wellbeing. The provider had identified, and was putting in place, improvements to staff recruitment procedures.

People's individual needs were known to staff who had achieved positive relationships with them. People were treated with kindness, their privacy and dignity was respected and they were supported to maintain their independence and engage in activities. People and their representatives were involved in the planning and review of the support they received.

People were supported by staff who had training and support to maintain their skills and knowledge to meet their needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Quality assurance systems were used to improve the service and these included seeking the views of people using the service, their representatives and staff.