Background to this inspection
Updated
18 May 2017
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
The inspection took place on 10 March 2017 and was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice of the inspection because we wanted to ensure people who used the service and key staff were available to speak with us. The inspection was carried out by two inspectors.
Before the inspection we reviewed the evidence we had about the service. This included any notifications of significant events, such as serious injuries or safeguarding referrals. Notifications are information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We did not ask the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) as this inspection was brought forward. The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
During the inspection we spoke with five people who used the service and a visiting relative. If people were not able to tell us directly about the support they received, we observed the interactions they had with staff. We also spoke with six staff, including the registered manager, and a visiting healthcare professional.
We looked at three people’s care records, including their assessments, care plans and risk assessments. We looked at how medicines were managed and the records relating to this. We looked at three staff recruitment files and records related to staff support and training. We also looked at records used to monitor the safety and quality of the service, such as the provider’s own audits of different aspects of the service.
This was the first inspection of the service since its registration with CQC on 30 November 2015.
Updated
18 May 2017
MyLife Supported Living provides personal care and support for a maximum of 13 adults who have learning disabilities and may also have mental health needs. Some people who use the service have additional needs due to sensory impairment.
People who use the service are tenants of Reside Housing Association, which owns the property in which they live. The property comprises a house that can accommodate up to six people and seven self-contained flats. Four people lived in the house and six of the self-contained flats were occupied at the time of our inspection. Four of these ten people received personal care.
The inspection took place on 10 March 2017 and was announced.
There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
There were enough staff on duty to meet people’s needs, including where people required additional staff support to keep them and others safe. Risks to people had been identified and strategies had been developed to ensure these risks were minimised and managed effectively. Incidents and accidents were recorded and monitored to identify learning from events. There were plans in place to ensure that people would continue to receive care and support in the event of an emergency.
The provider’s recruitment procedures helped ensure only suitable staff were employed. Staff were aware of their responsibilities should they suspect abuse was taking place and knew how to report any concerns they had.
People were supported by a consistent staff team and knew which staff would be supporting them. This was particularly important for some people with complex needs, who needed support from regular staff who were known to them.
Staff had access to the training and support they needed to carry out their roles. All staff attended an induction when they started work and attended regular training in core areas. The provider had arranged additional training for staff where it was needed to meet people’s individual needs. Staff attended regular one-to-one supervision, which enabled them to discuss their training and development needs.
Staff understood their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA), which meant that people’s care was provided in the least restrictive way. Where restrictions were involved in people’s care to keep them safe, these had been legally authorised.
People were supported to choose what they ate and the extent to which they were involved and purchasing and preparing meals. People’s nutritional needs had been assessed and any dietary needs recorded in their care plans. Where people had specific dietary needs, these were managed effectively.
People’s healthcare needs were monitored effectively and people were supported to obtain treatment when they needed it. Each person had a heath action plan that recorded their health needs and any guidance from healthcare professionals about the delivery of their care. If people had ongoing healthcare needs, these were met by visiting healthcare professionals. Medicines were managed safely.
People had positive relationships with the staff who supported them. Staff treated people with respect and provided support in a way that maintained their privacy and dignity. People were involved in planning their support and identifying goals that were important to them. Staff spoke positively about their role in supporting people to achieve their goals. Staff had supported people to learn and develop new skills, which had increased their independence.
People’s needs had been assessed before they moved into the service and kept under review. Care plans were person-centred and reflected people’s individual needs, preferences and goals. They provided detailed information for staff about how to provide support in the way the person needed and preferred. Where people had moved from another service, they had benefited from a well-planned and managed transition. People had opportunities to be involved in their local community, including people who needed support from staff to do so. People knew how to make a complaint and were confident complaints would be taken seriously.
There was an open culture in which people, relatives and staff were able to express their views and these were listened to. The registered manager encouraged others’ contributions to the improvement and development of the service. People told us the registered manager was approachable and available. Staff said the registered manager was supportive and provided good leadership for the service. The registered manager and staff had established effective relationships with other professionals to ensure people received the care and support they needed.
The provider had developed effective systems of quality monitoring and continuous improvement. Staff carried out regular audits and the provider carried out quarterly monitoring visits. An action plan had been drawn up to address any areas identified for improvement. The standard of record-keeping was good. Records relating to people’s care were accurate, up to date and stored appropriately.