Background to this inspection
Updated
14 August 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.
Service and service type:
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because we needed to ensure staff were available to facilitate the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 18 June 2019 and ended on 21 June 2019. We visited the office location and people who use the service on 18 June 2019 and made telephone calls to people and their relatives on 20 and 21 June 2019.
What we did before the 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 also contacted Healthwatch and two health and social care commissioners. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. Health and social care commissioners commission care from the provider and monitor the care and support that people receive. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection, we spoke with four people who used the service and three people’s relatives. We also spoke with six members of staff, including support staff, the deputy manager, service manager and registered manager.
We looked at various records, including care records for three people. We also examined records in relation to the management of the service such quality assurance checks, staff training and supervision records, safeguarding information and accidents and incident information.
Updated
14 August 2019
About the service
Mencap Portland and Oxborough Services provides care and support for people with a learning disability who live in two houses and people who are living in the community.
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 our inspection 10 people were receiving care and support.
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
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
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 for them to gain new skills and become more independent.
People continued to benefit from an exceptionally well-led service that provided outstanding care. People were at the heart of the service and its values, which were person centred and focussed on supporting people to achieve what they wanted in life. All staff were passionate about providing flexible person-centred support to people when they needed it.
People's needs, and wishes were met by staff who knew them well. We saw and were told of many examples of staff going 'above and beyond' to help and support people they cared for.
The feedback from people and their families was overwhelmingly positive with a consistent theme that people felt cared for and this was more than just a job to the staff. People were at the heart of everything. Their support was tailored specifically to their needs and staff went the 'extra mile' to ensure people were in control of their lives.
People were treated as individuals and were valued and respected. The staff ensured that people's privacy and dignity was protected and spent time getting to know people. Staff worked creatively with people to maximise their independence.
Staff received the training they needed to provide people’s support appropriately and safely. The management team were proactive about sourcing additional training that staff needed to meet people’s needs. Staff took part in regular supervision and were valued for their individuality and what they could bring to deliver high quality care.
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 management team led by example and ensured that they recruited staff who shared their ethos of providing good quality of care. They actively sought feedback from people, their families and staff to continually look at ways to improve the service and were receptive to ideas and suggestions.
The systems in place to monitor the quality and performance of the service were highly effective and the provider was quick to address any shortfalls identified. People could be assured that they were cared for by a well-motivated staff team who were well managed.
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 outstanding (published 02 September 2016).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection.
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.