The Learning Support Centre

Updated 3 November 2018

This inspection took place on 11 and 12 October 2018 and was announced.

We gave the provider 24 hours' notice to ensure someone would be available at the office. We carried out a site visit on the first day of inspection and on day two we carried out telephone interviews with staff and had contact with the person who uses the service and other stakeholders.

The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector.

Before the inspection, we had received a completed Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the PIR and other information we held about the service as part of our inspection. This included the notifications we had received from the provider. Notifications are changes, events or incidents the provider is legally obliged to send CQC within required timescales. We also contacted other stakeholders who could comment about people’s care.

During the inspection we spoke with the co-ordinator of the service. We reviewed a range of records about people’s care and how the service was managed. We looked at care records for one person, recruitment, training and induction records for three staff, staffing rosters, staff meeting minutes and quality assurance audits the registered manager had completed. After the inspection we telephoned and spoke with two staff members. We contacted one person and one stakeholder by email and we received one response.

Updated 3 November 2018

This was an announced inspection which took place on 11 and 12 October 2018. We gave the provider 24 hours' notice to ensure someone would be available at the office.

The Learning Support Centre (LSC) provides a range of support to students with disabilities who access study in a higher education setting. The support provided by LSC includes personal care, this aspect of the service is regulated by the Care Quality Commission. At the time of our inspection there was one person using the regulated activity who was studying at Newcastle University.

This was the first inspection of the service since it was registered with the Care Quality Commission.

A registered manager was in place. 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 received safe care as they were supported by staff who knew how to protect them from harm. Staff were aware of people's individual risks and plans were in place to minimise these while maintaining the person's independence.

The registered manager supported staff by arranging training so staff developed the skills to provide care and support to people, which was in-line with best practice. People receive care and support that was in line with their consent.

People were supported by staff who knew their individual dietary requirements and how to support them in the right way. People had access to healthcare professionals when they required them.

People were treated well which had a positive impact on their well-being. They 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. Staff supported people to make choices about their care and the views and decisions they had made about their care were listened and acted upon.

People were involved in the planning and review of their care and support. Information was provided to people should they wish to raise a complaint. The provider had not received any complaints over the last 12 months.

Staff said the management team were supportive and approachable. Communication was effective, ensuring people, their relatives and other relevant agencies were kept up-to-date about any changes in people's care and support needs and the running of the service.

People had the opportunity to give their views about the service. There was consultation with people and family members and their views were used to improve the service. The provider undertook a range of audits to check on the quality of care provided.