Archived: Choice Support Bedford

Updated 1 April 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 is 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.

This inspection took place on 25 and 26 January 2017 and it was announced. We provided 48 hours' notice of the inspection to ensure management were available at their Milton Keynes office to facilitate our inspection. The inspection was undertaken by one inspector.

We had asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR), which 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. This was completed by the provider on the 6 September 2016. We also looked at other information we held about the service from statutory notifications of events that the provider is required by law to submit to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

During the inspection we visited six people living in supported living services based in Biggleswade and Ampthill. Some people using the service had complex learning disabilities that affected their ability to communicate verbally, the staff supported people to express their views about the service to us. We spoke with the registered manager, two support managers, six staff members and one relative.

We reviewed the support plans, risk assessments and other associated care records for four people using the service. We also looked at three staff recruitment files and other records in relation to staff supervision training and support, and management records in relation to the quality monitoring of the service.

Updated 1 April 2017

This inspection took place on the 25 and 26 January 2017 and was announced.

Choice Support Bedford provides personal care to people with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder living in supported living accommodation and outreach services. At the time of the inspection 23 people were using the service.

The service had a registered manager. 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

There was a positive approach towards supporting people to exercise their rights to take risks within their capabilities. Staff were knowledgeable about safeguarding and how to protect people from the risks of abuse. People were empowered to take positive risks. Accidents and incidents were closely monitored and actions were taken to mitigate the repeat of accidents.

Safe recruitment practices were followed and there were sufficient numbers of skilled staff available to meet people's needs by a core staff team. This fostered trusting relationships between people using the service, their relatives and staff. People received their medicines safely, in keeping with best practice guidelines.

Staff received training on the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 including the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). They put their learning into practice and confidently worked in line with the principles of the MCA. The service made sure that people were fully involved in decisions about their care, so their human and legal rights were continuously sustained. The service had a strong, person centred culture, which supported people to exercise choice and express their views.

Staff had the specialist knowledge and skills required to meet people's individual needs and promote their health and wellbeing. They had regular supervision and annual appraisals from their managers. Systems were in place to continually assess staffs skills, where gaps were identified further training and support was provided. Staff felt valued, included and listened to and good practice was celebrated.

Where able, people were supported to shop, prepare and cook their own meals. They were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts to meet their nutritional needs, dietary preferences, likes and dislikes. The service promoted leading a healthy lifestyle; staff worked in partnership with other health care professionals to support people to access health services quickly.

The staff were highly motivated and inspired to offer care that was kind and compassionate. They enabled people to remain independent and had an in-depth appreciation of their individual needs around privacy and dignity.

Independent advocacy services were used to speak up on people’s behalf and people were fully supported to access their services.

People’s care and support was planned in partnership with them and/ or their representatives, so they received personalised care that was specific to meet their needs.

The support plans were written in a person centred way, and done with the individuals as well as involving family, professionals and advocates.

People were consulted and involved in the running of the service and their views were sought and acted on. Staff made sure that people were supported to make choices and have control of their lives. People were supported to engage in individual and social activities, and where appropriate education and paid work.

People’s feedback was valued, the service actively sought and acted upon the views of people using the service and their representatives. Information on how to raise any concerns or complaints was provided in easy read formats. The service appropriately responded to complaints and used complaints as opportunities to reflect on the service to develop and learn.

People were supported to attend a range of educational, occupational, voluntary and leisure activities as well as being able to develop their own independent living skills.

People, relatives and staff were very positive about the leadership of the service and the support they received from the service. The ethos and vision of the service promoted personalised high quality care and continued improvement.

The vision and values of the service were person centred and made sure people were at the heart of the service. The service worked in partnership with people and their representatives, actively involving them in all aspects of their care and support needs.

People were encouraged and supported to identify how the service and other services providing care for people with learning difficulties could further develop and improve. Feedback from people using the service, staff and relatives was consistently positive.

The management team had a positive sense of direction, strong leadership and a commitment to delivering high quality care Promoting independence, health promotion and safe risk taking were fundamental aspects of the ethos of care and support at all levels.

Robust systems were used to assess and monitor the quality of the service. The service worked in partnership with other organisations to make sure they were following current best practice and providing a high quality service. They service strived for excellence through consultation and reflective practice.