The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: Choice Support Milton Keynes

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

136 Dunthorne Way, Grange Farm, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK8 0LW (01908) 691802

Provided and run by:
Choice Support

Important: This service is now registered at a different address - see new profile
Important: This service was previously registered at a different address - see old profile

All Inspections

28 March 2017

During a routine inspection

Choice Support Milton Keynes is registered to provide personal care to people with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder living in supported living accommodation. At the time of the inspection 38 people were using the service.

At the last inspection on 25 February 2015 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found that the service remained Good.

The service had a registered manager. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People using the service continued to receive safe care. Robust staff recruitment procedures were followed. The staffing levels met people’s needs. People were protected from the risk of harm and received their prescribed medicines safely.

People using the service continued to receive effective care and had maximum choice and control of their lives. The staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People received care from staff that had the appropriate knowledge and skills to meet their needs, and they were supported to maintain good health and nutrition. Staff were provided with a thorough induction and on-going training. They had attended a variety of training to ensure they were able to provide care that was based on current practice. Staff received regular supervision and appraisal from their allocated supervisors.

People received care that respected their individuality, they were treated with kindness, compassion, dignity and empowered to be involved in making decisions about their lives. The staff respected their diversity, and knew the people who used the service well.

People and relatives, where appropriate, were involved in the planning of their care and support. Detailed personalised support plans enabled staff to provide consistent support in line with people’s preferences. People knew how to raise a concern or make a complaint and the provider had effective systems in place to manage complaints.

People benefitted from using a service that had a positive, person centred ethos and an open culture. People, their relatives and staff had confidence in the registered manager’s ability to provide consistent high quality managerial oversight and leadership. Established quality monitoring systems were used to drive continuous improvement.

25 February 2015

During a routine inspection

This inspection took place on 25 February 2015 and was announced.

Choice Support Milton Keynes provides care and support to people with learning disabilities and people with mental health difficulties.

There was 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.

People felt safe living at the service. Staff were aware of what they considered to be abuse and how to report this.

Risks to people’s safety had been assessed and were detailed in people’s support plans. Staff used these to assist people to be as independent as possible.

There were sufficient staff, with the correct skill mix, on duty to support people with their needs. Staff had been recruited using a robust recruitment process.

Medicines were stored, administered and handled safely.

Staff were knowledgeable about the needs of individual people they supported. People were supported to make choices around their care and daily lives.

Staff had attended a variety of training to keep their skills up to date and were supported with regular supervision by the registered manager.

There were policies and procedures in place in relation to the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. Staff knew how to use them to protect people who were unable to make decisions for themselves.

People could make choices about their food and drink and were provided with support when required to prepare meals.

Each person had a ‘Health Passport’ and access to health care professionals to ensure they received effective care or treatment.

Staff treated people with kindness and compassion, and knew people well.

People and their relatives were involved in making decisions and planning their care, and their views were listened to and acted upon.

People had the privacy they required and were treated with respect at all times.

People’s support plans were person centred and reflected how they wished to receive support.

Staff supported people to follow their interests and social activities.

There was an effective complaints procedure in place.

Regular meetings were held for staff and people who used the service to enable everyone to be involved in the development of the service.

We saw that effective quality monitoring systems were in place. A variety of audits were carried out and used to drive improvement.

9 December 2013

During a routine inspection

We spoke with the relatives of two people who used the service, one person told us that they were very happy with the service and had no concerns. The other relative told us that Choice Support had gone out of their way to make sure the right people worked with their relative.

We spoke with one member of staff who told us that within their team staff often recounted the phrase 'we support the guys (people that used the service) as we would like to be supported ourselves'.

We found that Choice Support Milton Keynes had assessed people and provided care to meet their needs. We found that the staff had received specific training to meet people's individual needs. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service.