Kent SCP (Bowles Lodge)

Updated 12 October 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, an assistant 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 specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built household accommodation in a shared building. The accommodation is 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. Kent SCP (Bowles Lodge) also provided a domiciliary care service to people in their own homes within the local community.

Notice of inspection

We gave the agency four days’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is an agency and we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. People were also offered the opportunity to meet with the inspection team during the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 20 August 2019 and ended that day. The Expert by Experience held an open forum throughout that day based in the communal dining room within Bowles Lodge. People were able to meet with the inspection team throughout the day and provide feedback about the service they received. We visited the office location within Bowles Lodge on 20 August 2019.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. 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 this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 15 people who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the registered manager, the housing manager, team leader and three care staff.

Updated 12 October 2019

About the service

Kent SCP (Bowles Lodge) is registered as an extra care housing service, providing personal care to people in their own flat within one large building, Bowles Lodge. Kent SCP (Bowles Lodge) was also registered to provide a domiciliary care service to people living in their own homes within the local community. At the time of our inspection there were 36 people within Bowles Lodge and nine people within the local community receiving support to meet their personal care needs. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspects the service being received by people provided with personal care, where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

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

People told us they were very happy with the support they received whilst living at Bowles Lodge. One person said, “I love it here, I am very happy.”

People spoke highly of the staff that supported them who knew them well. Staff were kind and caring whilst promoting people’s privacy and dignity. One person said, “I think the staff are very very nice, lovely girls.”

People’s needs were assessed with them prior to receiving support either within Bowles Lodge or within the local community. Care plans were individualised detailing how people wanted their needs met. Care records were kept under regular review to ensure they continued to meet people’s needs.

Staff followed guidance to minimise potential risks posed to people within their flat, home or in the local community. Staff worked alongside health care professionals to ensure people remained as healthy as possible.

There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. Staff had been recruited safely and received continuous support and supervision from their line manager. Staff used gloves and aprons when these were needed to protect people from the risk of infection. Medicines were safely managed, and people received these as prescribed.

Staff received a comprehensive induction into the organisation before working with people. There was a continuous training and development plan in place for staff to ensure they were trained to meet people’s needs.

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’s choices were respected, and staff understood people with capacity had the right to make unwise choices.

People’s views were sought and acted on to improve the service they received. Complaints were used as a learning tool to improve and prevent a reoccurrence. Systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service people received; action was taken when shortfalls were identified.

People had access to services within Bowles Lodge such as, a gymnasium, hairdressers and shop. There were strong links with the local community and regular group sessions were held within Bowles Lodge for people to access.

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 14 September 2018 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the registration date of the service.

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.