Background to this inspection
Updated
3 September 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. 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
The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
This service provides care and support to people living in a ‘supported living’ setting, so that they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. The CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service a 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. We did so because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or the registered manager would be present in the office to support the inspection.
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 also looked at the notifications we had received for this service. Notifications are information about important events the service is required to send us by law. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
During the inspection, we looked at a range of documents including the provider's policies and procedures, compliments the service had received, complaints raised with the service, and quality assurance reports. We looked at four people’s care and medicines records. We looked at four staff records including recruitment information. We spoke with two people, three relatives, the registered manager, the area manager and two members of staff.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate the evidence found. We looked at internal audits and quality assurance records. We spoke with one person’s relative on the phone.
Updated
3 September 2019
About the service
YourLife (Didcot) is a service which provides personal care and support to older people in their own homes. All of the people supported live in the same complex. The care service is based on site, as part of an assisted living environment. At the time of the inspection, five people used the service and they were referred to as 'homeowners'. This was the first inspection of the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they felt safe with staff. There was a sufficient number of staff who had been recruited safely. People received their medicines safely and as prescribed. Risks to people's well-being were assessed, recorded and updated when people's circumstances changed. Staff ensured any lessons learnt were reflected to improve the service delivery.
People received support that met their needs and was in line with care plans and good practice. People were supported by staff who had the right skills and knowledge to fulfil their roles effectively. Staff told us they were well supported by the management team. People were supported to meet their nutritional needs and maintain an enjoyable and healthy diet.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff provided them with care in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People told us they received caring and kind support. Staff respected people’s dignity, privacy and confidentiality, and promoted their independence.
People and their relatives told us they knew how to complain. People were provided with their own copies of complaints policy. People were provided with access to assistive technologies.
The service was run by the registered manager who was supported by a team of committed staff. The provider's quality assurance processes were effective and there was a focus on continuous improvement. Where an area for improvement had been identified, a prompt action was taken to address it.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 06/08/2018 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned, routine inspection.
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.