We carried out a review of the data available to us about New Villas Office on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about New Villas Office, you can give feedback on this service.
New Villas Office provides care and support for up to 55 people with a learning disability or mental health
needs living in 7 '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. At the time of our inspection 7 people were receiving personal care.
Not everyone who used the service received 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.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
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.
People had their risks assessed to reduce the risk of potential harm to them. People who may become anxious or distressed had proactive plans in place to reduce the need for restrictive practices. Recruitment checks were carried out to ensure staff employed were safe to work with people. Systems were in place to report and learn from any incidents where restrictive practices were used.
People were cared for and supported by staff who were suitably trained and supported to effectively perform their roles and responsibilities.
Right care
Care was person-centred and promoted people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. People were safeguarded from the risk of abuse as staff knew how to report concerns should they suspect or witness abuse. People had their communication needs met and information was shared in a way that could be understood. People were supported to access food and drink that met their dietary needs and wishes. People were supported to stay healthy and well.
Right culture
The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of management and care staff promoted a service which was inclusive, empowered and encouraged good outcomes for people who used the service. Relatives and staff spoke positively of the registered manager. Managers ensured that staff had relevant training, supervision and appraisal. Governance systems ensured people were kept safe and received a high quality of care and support in line with their personal needs. Staff worked well with other services and professionals to improve outcomes for people.
Relatives told us the registered manager was approachable and took action to resolve issues where needed. Staff told us they were well supported by the registered manager and were listened to and encouraged to discuss their views regarding the service.
Systems for monitoring the quality of the service were in place and regular audits took place. Continuous learning took place to improve the quality of the service provided to people. However, frequent management changes meant sometimes there were inconsistencies in the way the service was managed by different people.
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 rated good (published 14 August 2018).
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about the provider in relation to the management of the service, staffing levels, recruitment and medicines management. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, effective and well-led only. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for New Villas Office 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.
New Villas Office provides care and support to people who have a learning difficulty or mental health problems living in five '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.
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.
At the time of our inspection there were 61 people using the service. Of these 61 people only approximately three people were being provided with the regulated activity ‘personal care’. However, there were plans for people living at the provider’s residential home, who had more complex care needs, to move to the supported living service.
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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People told us they were well treated by the staff and felt safe with them. Staff understood their responsibilities to keep people safe from potential abuse, bullying or discrimination. Staff knew what to look out for that might indicate a person was being abused.
Risks had been identified, with the input from the person where possible and were recorded in people’s support plans. Ways to reduce these risks had been explored and were being followed appropriately.
Although the service was not currently providing direct assistance to people with medicine management, staff had been trained and policies and systems were in place when required.
Staff were positive about working at the service and told us they appreciated the support and encouragement they received from the management.
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 who used the service and the staff who supported them had regular opportunities to comment on service provision and made suggestions regarding quality improvements. Staff told us that the management listened to them and acted on their suggestions and wishes.
People were supported to access healthcare professionals such as doctors, dentists, chiropodists and opticians.
Staff knew people's different likes, dislikes, needs and preferences. Staff and management made sure no one was disadvantaged because of their age, gender, sexual orientation, disability or culture. Staff understood the importance of upholding and respecting people’s diversity. Everyone had an individual plan of care and support which was reviewed on a regular basis.
People were supported to raise any concerns or complaints and staff understood the different ways people expressed their views about the service and if they were happy with their care.
The management team worked in partnership with other organisations to support care provision, service development and joined-up care.