Community Support Services

Updated 19 April 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by an inspector.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. However, Community Support Services provides care and support to people living in several 'supported living' settings so that they can live as independently as possible. People's care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people's personal care and support.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

Inspection activity started on 21 March 2023 and ended on 28 March 2023. We visited the location’s office on 21 and 23 March 2023.

What we did before the 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 (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 3 people, who used the service, and 5 relatives about their experience of the care and support provided.

We spoke with 9 members of staff, including the chief executive officer, registered manager, nominated individual and care staff. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We looked at a range of records. This included 3 people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at 2 files in relation to staff recruitment and supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and processes, were reviewed.

Updated 19 April 2023

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 the Care Quality Commission (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.

About the service

Community Support Services is a domiciliary care agency which provides care and support to people living in their own homes. 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. At the time of the inspection 9 people, who were living with a learning disability and autistic spectrum disorders, were being supported with personal care. People were living independently and had their own tenancy agreements with a housing provider.

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

Right support

Staff provided effective support to identify people's aspirations and goals and assist people to plan how these would be met. Staff focused on people's strengths and promoted what they could do. There was a consistent approach to supporting people to learn new skills. Staff enabled people to access health and social care support in the community.

People and their relatives felt people were safe and felt confident to speak with staff if they had any concerns. A relative said, “[My loved one] is absolutely safe, without a doubt. They are really well looked after.”

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.

Right care

Staff provided care to people which was person-centred and promoted people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. People’s individual choices were recognised and respected. Staff promoted equality and diversity in their support for people. People could communicate with staff as staff understood their individual communication. People were empowered to take part in activities of their choice. People were supported to keep in touch with people who were important to them.

People were protected from the risks of harm, abuse and discrimination because staff knew what action to take if they identified concerns. There were enough staff to provide the support people needed. Staff understood the risks to people's health, safety and welfare. Risk assessments provided guidance for staff about individual and environmental risks. Further work, including mentoring staff, was being implemented to ensure risks were assessed consistently and this needed to be embedded into day-to-day practice.

People received their medicines safely and when they needed them. Medicines checks were completed each day which helped make sure any recording errors could be addressed quickly.

Right culture

The service enabled people and those important to them to work with staff to develop the service. Feedback was requested from people, relatives or health care professionals. Staff ensured the quality and safety of the service had been assessed to ensure people were safe. Safe recruitment practices were followed. Staff knew and understood people well.

The provider and staff worked hard to develop strong leadership. Quality monitoring systems had been developed and embedded. Morale within the staff team was high and staff felt valued.

Since the last inspection, a new senior management team had been recruited. People, relatives, and staff spoke positively about improvements in the leadership of the service. A relative said, “The communication is now brilliant. [Staff] are so responsive.”

Checks and audits were being regularly completed. Shortfalls were identified and action taken to address these. New quality assurance processes were being embedded into staff day-to-day practice to ensure a consistent approach was followed.

Most staff empowered people and encouraged them to increase their daily living skills. However, the management had identified some staff required further coaching and upskilling to ensure people were consistently supported.

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 rating for this service was inadequate (published 14 September 2022).

At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

This service has been in Special Measures since 14 September 2022. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Community Support Services 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.