Optima Care Shine London Limited

Updated 17 January 2024

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of 2 inspectors and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in 4 ‘supported living’ settings, so 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.

Registered manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post. However, a new operations manager was appointed in October 2023, and they have applied to register with us.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure the provider would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 12/12/2023 and ended on 21/12/2023. We visited the provider’s offices on 12/12/2023, a service location where 5 people who received personal care lived on 14/12/2023 and made telephone contact with people’s relatives on 21/12/2023.

What we did before the inspection

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

During the inspection

We spoke in-person with 4 people about their experiences of using this supported living service. We also talked to various managers and members of staff including, the new operations manager, the new head of quality assurance, the head of human resources, 2 service managers, 4 support workers and the managing director/nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

In addition, we reviewed a range of records. This included 5 people’s care plans, 4 staff files in relation to their recruitment, multiple staff training and medicines records, and a variety of other records relating to the overall management and governance of the service.

We observed the support staff provided people who lived at the 1 supported living setting we visited during our inspection to help us understand the experiences of people who could not talk with us.

After the site visit, we received telephone and/or email feedback about Optima Care Shine London Limited from 8 peoples relatives, 3 external health and social care professionals, and the providers Positive Behavioural Support [PBS] Practitioner.

We also continued to seek clarification from the provider t

Updated 17 January 2024

About the service

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

At the time of the inspection, the service was supporting people with a learning disability or autism. We therefore assessed the care provision under Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture, as it is registered as a specialist service for this population group.

Optima Care Shine London Limited is a supported living service providing personal care and support to people with a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder and/or mental health care needs. At the time of our inspection there were 11 people receiving personal care living in the services, in 4 separate ‘supported living’ settings/houses, each with their own separate facilities.

An additional 6 people using the service did not receive any 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.

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

The service had improved since our last inspection and was now able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture.

Right Support

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. How medicines systems were managed had been improved, and people received their prescribed medicines as and when they should. Staff followed current best practice guidelines regarding the prevention and control of infection. Staff received the right levels of training and support which enabled them to deliver safe and effective personal care and support to people. Staff knew how to recognise and report abuse, and how to apply this knowledge. Enough staff were deployed throughout the services 4 supported living settings and their offices to meet people assessed personal care needs. Staff’s suitability and fitness to work in an adult social care setting had been thoroughly assessed.

Right Care

People had access to a wide variety of food and drink that met their dietary needs and wishes. People were helped to stay healthy and well. The provider worked collaboratively with external health and social care agencies and professionals to plan and deliver people’s packages of care. People were confident any concerns they raised would be listened to. The provider kept people safe by appropriately assessing, monitoring and managing risks they faced. Staff knew and understood the risks people might face and responded well to people’s individual needs. The care and support people received was person-centred.

Right culture

The provider’s culture was positive, open, and honest, with leadership and management that was clearly identifiable and transparent. The provider sought the views of people using the service, their relatives, external health and social care professionals, and their staff. Staff were aware of and followed the provider’s vision and values which were clearly defined. Staff knew their responsibilities, accountability and were happy to take responsibility and report any concerns they may have. Complaints, concerns, accidents, incidents, and safeguarding issues were appropriately reported, investigated, and recorded. Service quality was reviewed regularly, and appropriate changes made to improve people’s care and support if required.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 14 March 2022) when 4 breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve how they managed, medicines, infection control, staff training and support, consent to care, and governance systems. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the key questions safe, effective and well-led which contain those requirements.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Optima Care Shine London Limited on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect. If we receive any concerning information, we may inspect sooner.