HF Trust - Stroud

Updated 8 December 2018

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.

We gave the service prior notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

Inspection site visit activity started on 9 October 2018 and ended on 11 October 2018. We visited the office location on 9 October 2018 to see the manager and office staff; and to review care records, staff records and policies and procedures. Following this we visited people in their homes and spoke with seven people and one member of staff. Following the inspection visit we contacted people’s relatives by telephone and e mail to gather their views about the service provided. We received feedback from seven relatives of people using 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 8 December 2018

HF Trust – Stroud DCA 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 47 people.

This service provides care and support to people living in ten ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live in their own home 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.

Not everyone using HF Trust – Stroud DCA receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

The inspection took place on the 9,10 and 11 October 2018 and was announced. This was the first inspection of the service. We rated the service outstanding overall.

HF Trust – Stroud DCA 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.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen. This was particularly visible in the outstanding support people had received to development their ‘capable environments’. ‘Capable environments’ are characterised by; positive social interactions, support for meaningful activity, opportunities for choice, encouragement of greater independence and support to establish and maintain relationships.

We heard positive comments about the service such as “Very impressed” and “Support and care is of a very high standard”.

The service was outstandingly caring and responsive. People were empowered to develop their independence and involvement in the local community. The service recognised the importance of the relationships people had. They were innovative in working to maintain and develop these. The provider used their innovative ‘fusion model’ to ensure staff had the skills and understanding to provide exceptional person-centred care.

People were protected from harm and abuse through the knowledge of staff and management. People were enabled to live safely; risks to their safety were identified, assessed and appropriate action taken. Suitable staff were recruited using robust procedures. Action was taken to ensure people were safely supported with their medicines including checks on the accuracy of records.

People were treated with respect and kindness and their privacy and dignity was upheld.

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.

People received personalised care from staff who knew their needs and preferences. People and their relatives were involved in the planning and review of their care and support. There were arrangements in place to respond to concerns or complaints.

Quality assurance systems were in operation with the aim of improving the service in response to people's needs. The management were approachable to people using the service, their representatives and staff.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.