Archived: Optimum Supported Housing

Updated 8 July 2021

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by one inspector

Service and service type

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

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.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 9th June 2021 and ended on 17th June 2021. We visited the office location on 10th June 202.

What we did before the inspection

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, service manager, and support workers. We observed staff interactions with people, as people had difficulties making their views known verbally. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We spoke with one relative of a person who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with two local authority professionals who regularly visit the service.

Updated 8 July 2021

About the service

Optimum Supported Housing is a supported living service provided in three separate houses and a domiciliary care service. At the time of the inspection nine people were being supported, with three people receiving personal care in two supported living houses

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.

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

A relative told us, “I can’t say anything negative about the [service] they are fantastic with my [relative].”

Feedback from health and social care professionals was positive about the service. One professional told us, “The service is well managed because people’s needs are well managed and there have been consistency with staffing levels.”

People’s homes were spacious, well-kept and personalised. People had verbal communication difficulties and interactions with staff were observed. Staff were patient, courteous and treated people with dignity and respect. People engaged well with staff and they used personalised communication tools to empower people to make their own decisions.

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.

There were adequate levels of staff to provide the support required to people living in the supported living settings where the regulated activity was being provided. Staff were supported by line managers and peers. Staff had completed all necessary training needed to support people safely.

People’s needs were assessed before they moved to the service and they were offered ‘trial stay overs’ to encourage and assist people to make their own choice about living there. People were supported to achieve personal goals.

Medicines were stored correctly, and people had received their medicines on time and as prescribed.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

This service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. The service was empowering people to reach their potential whilst maximising independence. People's houses were treated as their home with staff minimising prescriptive care and support. People were at the centre of all decisions and involved in their care and support.

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 24 October 2018) and there was a breach of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulation.

Why we inspected

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of this service on 9th April 2019. A breach of legal requirements was found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve Regulation 17 (Good Governance).

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, Responsive and Well-led which contain those requirements.

The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions not looked at on this occasion were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. 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 Optimum Supported Housing on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.