High Street Sandy

Updated 10 July 2019

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

One inspector carried out this inspection.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in a ‘supported living’ setting, 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.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced. Inspection activity started on 13 June 2019 and ended on 14 June 2019. We visited the office location on 13 June 2019.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection-

We sought feedback from the local authority, Healthwatch and professionals who work with the service. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.

We spoke with four people who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the registered manager, assistant manager, senior care workers and care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 10 July 2019

About the service

87 High Street Sandy is a supported living service providing personal care and support to six people in their own flats at the time of the inspection. Staff support was available 24 hours a day. Staff were based in a flat within the main block.

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 and designed 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. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that was appropriate and inclusive for them.

The service was within a block of flats. The flats were situated in the centre of a small town. The building design enabled individual and domestic flats for each person with their own separate entry. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate a supported living service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People were very happy with the care and the staff who provided their care and felt safe. Staff knew how to keep people safe and how to report any concerns. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. The manager ensured they obtained key recruitment checks before new staff started work. Where possible, staff encouraged people to self-administer medicines safely. Staff completed medicine records accurately and with enough detail to ensure clear guidance.

Staff followed advice from health care professionals and made sure they asked people's consent before caring for them. Staff supported people to manage their meals and drinks and how to reduce the risks of spreading infection. 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.

People liked the staff that cared for them. People told us that staff were "caring", and "kind". They went on to

tell us that staff supported them to live as they wanted. Staff involved people in their care planning and made sure they respected people's privacy. Staff worked well together, they understood the

services’ aim to deliver high quality care, which helped people to continue to live in their own homes.

People told us the staff managed past complaints and concerns quickly and they were happy with the outcomes. Staff supported people to communicate and express their views using a variety of tools.

The manager carried out checks well in relation to how well the service was running. People, relatives and staff all felt supported and valued and told us the provider consulted with them on the care. The manager and team worked well with other organisations to ensure good care outcomes and consistent approaches. The manager actively encouraged staff to reflect on learning outcomes with a view to further develop the quality.

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.

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's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

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 09 August 2016).

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.