Background to this inspection
Updated
2 May 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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team: A single inspector carried out this inspection.
Service and service type: Creative Support - Sutherland Court provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought or rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service. People using the service live in 50 one or two-bedroom apartments located in a single apartment block within the London Borough of Bromley. Not everyone using the service receives the 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 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.
The inspection site visit activity started on 3 April and ended on 5 April 2019. This inspection was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit to ensure the registered manager would be present and to ensure people’s consent was gained for us to speak with them for their feedback.
What we did: Before the inspection we looked at all the information we had about the service. This information included statutory notifications that the provider had sent to CQC. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also received feedback from the local authority that commissions services from the provider. We used this information to help inform our inspection planning.
During the inspection we spoke with five people to gain their views about the support they received. We looked at five people’s care files, staff recruitment and training records and records relating to the management of the service such as medicines, quality assurance audits and policies and procedures. We spoke with the registered manager, the quality manager and four members of staff about how the service was being run and what it was like to work there.
Updated
2 May 2019
About the service: Creative Support - Sutherland Court provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. At the time of the inspection 41 people were using the service.
People’s experience of using this service:
¿ The provider had safeguarding policies and procedures in place and staff had a clear understanding of these procedures.
¿ Appropriate recruitment checks took place before staff started work and there was enough staff available to meet people’s care and support needs.
¿ Risks to people had been assessed and reviewed regularly to ensure their needs were safely met.
¿ People were receiving their medicines as prescribed by health care professionals.
¿ The provider had procedures in place to reduce the risk of the spread of infections.
¿ Assessments of people’s care and support needs were carried out before they moved into the service.
¿ Staff had received training and support relevant to people’s needs.
¿ People were supported to maintain a balanced diet.
¿ 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 support this practice.
¿ Staff treated people in a caring and respectful manner.
¿ People had been consulted about their care and support needs.
¿ People were supported to participate in activities that met their needs.
¿ No one currently using the service required support with end of life care, however there were procedures in place to make sure people had access to this type of care if it was required.
¿ The provider had a complaints procedure in place. People told us they knew how to make a complaint if they were unhappy with the service.
¿ The manager had effective systems in place to assess and monitor the quality of the service.
¿ The service worked in partnership with health and social care providers to plan and deliver an effective service.
¿ The provider took people’s views into account through satisfaction surveys and meetings. Feedback from the surveys and meetings was used to improve on the service.
¿ Staff enjoyed working at the service and said they received good support from the registered manager and the management team. Management support was always available for staff when they needed it.
At our last inspection of the service 23 and 24 January 2018 we found improvements were required in relation to medicines records, staffing numbers, people’s care records were not always up to date and the provider’s checks and audits were not always consistently effective in identifying issues and driving improvements.
At this inspection we found that improvements had been made in these areas. The provider had taken steps to make sure medicines records were completed correctly, staffing numbers were meeting people’s needs, people’s care records were up to date and reflective of their needs and the provider’s checks and audits were effective in identifying issues and driving improvements.
Rating at last inspection: Requires Improvement (Report was published on 14 March 2018).
Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on previous rating.
Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.