HF Trust Bedfordshire

Updated 21 December 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

One inspector carried out this inspection.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in a ‘supported living’ settings, 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 did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. However, there was a manager in post who had applied to become the registered manager. This means that the provider is legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced. Inspection activity started on 05 December 2019 when we visited the office location and met with people in their flats and ended on 09 December 2019 when we finished speaking with people’s relatives and professionals.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last 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 two people who used the service and two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the operations manager, registered manager, senior care workers and care workers. We sought feedback from the local authority, Healthwatch and professionals who work with the service. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and 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.

Updated 21 December 2019

About the service

HF Trust Clifton Court DCA is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to two people with learning disabilities within a supported living scheme at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to nine people.

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.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

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

People were supported to keep in touch with their relatives and maintain relationships, however communication with their relatives about important events in people’s lives and financial management was not always happening. This was an area being developed by the manager. People were also able to access local community facilities to avoid social isolation.

People were supported in ways they preferred and had positive, trusting relationships with staff. They were supported by staff who were caring and who knew them well, showed them respect and promoted their dignity. Enough staff supported people to meet their assessed needs.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible to gain new skills and become more independent.

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 were safe as staff understood how to protect people from harm and were confident reporting any concerns. The manager ensured risks were assessed and support plans gave staff clear guidance about the care and support people needed and how they preferred this delivered.

People had their medicines administered safely and staff understood how to protect people from the spread of infection and promote health living. People had regular access to various health and social care professionals when they needed them.

People were supported by staff who were motivated and empowered to provide good quality care by a manager who developed their skills, confidence and understanding of their roles.

We have made recommendations about inclusive care planning and reviews of care, effective quality assurance systems at provider level and effective, open management of people’s finances.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 12 April 2019).

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about medicines and safe care and treatment. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.

We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from these concerns. Please see safe, effective and well-led sections of this full report.

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.