Archived: Community Wessex - East

Updated 1 April 2020

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

This inspection was completed by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in 10 ‘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.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. However, the registered manager had resigned from the service and was working their notice period. The provider was in the process of recruiting a replacement manager. In the interim period existing management staff would be used to provide support and manage the service until a registered manager was recruited.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection and be able to arrange home visits.

Inspection activity started on 25 February 2020 and ended on 28 February 2020. We visited the office location and people in their homes on 25 and 27 February and spoke with parents of people who used the service on 28 February 2020.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection and requested views on the service from health professionals that had regular contact with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We visited two supported living settings and met with two people who used the service, received written feedback from two relatives and spoke with a further relative on the telephone to ask about their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with the registered manager, the co-ordinator, and four support staff. During our inspection we observed care practices and the interaction between staff and people.

We reviewed a range of records that included three people’s support and care plans, daily monitoring charts and medicine records. We also looked at a range of records relating to the management and monitoring of the service. These included four staff recruitment, supervision and training records, staffing rotas, accident and incident records, meeting minutes and a range of the provider’s audits, quality assurance records and feedback questionnaires and policies and processes.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 1 April 2020

About the service

Community Wessex East is registered to provide personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection ten people with autism, learning disabilities and mental health needs were receiving 24 hour support with personal care in their own supported living accommodation.

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 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 is appropriate and inclusive for them.

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

The people we met during our inspection were unable to communicate verbally, however parents and support staff told us people expressed they were happy and more settled in their homes. Relatives told us they felt people were safe and the service provided good care and support.

We have made two recommendations, the first is to ensure the provider maintains effective oversight and management of the service. The second recommendation is for the provider to ensure resulting action and outcomes from quality assurance questionnaires are captured.

The provider had robust recruitment systems to ensure staff were safely recruited. Staff spoke knowledgably about the systems in place to safeguard people from abuse.

Risks had been identified and measures put in place to keep people safe from harm. People received their medicines as prescribed and were supported to access health care services as required. Medicines were stored securely, managed safely and administered by trained staff who had regular checks to ensure they were competent to administer medicines.

People were supported by a core team of staff who knew their individual needs and preferences well. Staff provided kind, caring and safe care and support to people, treating people as individuals with respect and dignity.

Staff had received effective training which they said was well delivered and ensured they remained up to date with all core areas. Specific training needs, such as epilepsy and autism awareness were available, and staff felt well supported and were encouraged to develop within their roles.

Staff received regular supervision and annual appraisals to ensure they were fully supported in their role.

The service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People were supported to have maximum choice and control over 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.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure 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.

The service used positive behaviour support principles to support people in the least restrictive way.

People's care was tailored to their individual needs and maintained their independence as much as possible. Care plans were comprehensive, person centred, respectful, and reviewed regularly to ensure they reflected people’s needs.

People were supported to lead active lives and took part in a range of different activities if they wished. People who preferred to spend time on a one to one basis were supported with appropriate activities they enjoyed, to ensure their wellbeing was maintained and to prevent social isolation.

There was a system of ongoing monitoring through audits and spot checks to review the quality of the service provided. There was an ethos of continual learning with an open, approachable and supportive culture in place. Staff felt listened to and supported in all areas of their work.

Relatives and staff expressed confidence in the management team and felt the service had a clear management structure and an open and supportive culture.

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 (report published 3 July 2017).

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.