Updated 31 January 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.
As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.
Inspection team
The inspection was completed by an 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 or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or 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 services.
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 the Care Quality Commission 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
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 16 January 2023 and ended on 19 January 2023. We visited the location’s office on 16 January 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we held and had received about the service since the time of registration. We used information gathered as part of monitoring activity dated 3 August 2022 to help plan the inspection and inform our judgements. We sought feedback from the local authority and safeguarding team. We checked information held by Companies House and the Information Commissioner’s Office. We checked for any online reviews and relevant social media, and we looked at the content of the provider’s website. 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 took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with 6 people who use the service and 5 relatives. We spoke with the registered manager, deputy manager, the provider’s heads of regulated services, the provider’s governance and quality assurance manager and the provider’s health and safety coordinator. We also spoke with the nominated individual via a video call. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We asked staff on shifts to provide their views and received 7 responses. We reviewed a range of records. This included multiple people’s care records, personnel files and medicines administration records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were also reviewed. We wrote to the registered man