The Care Quality Commission
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SeeAbility - Bicester Support Service

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

The Office, 6 Priory Mews, Old Place Yard, Bicester, OX26 6DW (01869) 22240

Provided and run by:
The Royal School for the Blind

All Inspections

During an assessment under our new approach

The assessment commenced on 1 May 2024 and ended on the 28 May 2024. The assessment included a site visit to the service by 1 inspector on 10 May 2024. We undertook this assessment due to concerns we had received about risk to people and staffing. We looked at 8 quality statements: safeguarding, safe and effective staffing, medicines optimisation, involving people to manage risk, capable and compassionate leaders, freedom to speak up, governance management and sustainability and learning improvement and innovation. We identified 1 breach of legal regulation in relation to governance. 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. Right support: Safeguarding procedures were in place and staff knew how to report concerns. Although the provider had taken action to keep people safe, this was not always documented. Care plans contained relevant, up to date information. People received their medicines, however documentation such as medicine protocols were not always in place. Right care: Staff knew people and their needs well. People and relatives were involved in reviewing of care needs a. Right culture: Quality assurance measures were in place to ensure a culture of improvement. Governance and checks did not always capture the actions the provider took to monitor the service. Staff meetings and supervision took place, not all staff felt that these meetings were productive or that they were always supported by the provider. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.

11 February 2021

During a routine inspection

About the service

SeeAbility - Bicester Support Service is a supported living service. The Bicester site can provide support for up to six people with a learning disability and/or autism. There were five people receiving a regulated activity of personal care at the time of the inspection. The Kennington site can currently provide support for up to six people. One person at the Kennington site was receiving personal care support and they were not living in their home at the time of this inspection.

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

People’s needs were assessed prior to moving to the service and the transitional process to the service was at the person’s pace and was not rushed. As most people could not tell us their experiences of the service, the feedback from relatives and professionals showed the service empowered people to live full and enriching lives. One relative commented, “We are always made to feel that our views are important.”

People were protected by staff who knew how to report concerns relating to harm and abuse. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs.

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 guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. People were involved in decisions about their care and supported to make choices about their day to day living. The culture of the service promoted independence, choices and empowerment for the people living in the service. Staff had a good understanding of how people communicated their needs and wishes and respected people’s likes and dislikes. People’s care was focused around their needs and staff supported people to engage in activities in the service and outside in the community. People were supported to maintain social contact with their families.

Medicines were managed safely. People were supported in line with their support plans which meant risks to people were effectively managed and reviewed on a regular basis.

There were safe infection and prevention and control practices (IPC) being followed. Relatives confirmed, and we saw during the site visit, that staff followed IPC policies and procedures, this included using personal protective equipment, such as the wearing of masks.

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.

The registered manager had a clear understanding of their responsibilities and a good overview of the service. Regular auditing took place to inform where improvements may be required.

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 in September 2019 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection as this service had been registered since 2019.

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.