Background to this inspection
Updated
20 October 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 checked 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 visit took place on 21 September 2017 and was announced.
The provider was given notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be there.
The inspection team consisted of one inspector and one 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.
The provider had completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This 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.
Before our inspection we reviewed information held about the service. We looked at our own system to see if we had received any concerns or compliments about the service. We analysed information on statutory notifications we had received from the provider. A statutory notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We contacted representatives from the local authority and Healthwatch for their views about the service. We used this information to help us plan our inspection.
During the inspection we spoke with six people and five relatives on the telephone. We spoke with nine staff which included support workers, senior support workers, the registered manager and the service manager, who was also the nominated individual. A nominated individual is a senior manager within the provider’s organisation who acts as the main point of contact with us. We viewed nine records relating to people’s care, risk, medicines and consent. We also viewed four staff recruitment records and records relating to how the service was managed.
Updated
20 October 2017
This inspection took place on 21 September 2017.
The service had moved address in July 2016 and registered as a new location with us. This was their first inspection under their new registration.
Crewe and Nantwich Supported Living Network is a service provided by Cheshire East Council. It is registered to provide personal care. It is a domiciliary care and supported living service to adults with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder who live in their own homes. People either own their own homes or live in properties where they have a separate tenancy agreement with a social landlord. The amount of support people receive varies from one call per day to 24 hour support. At the time of our inspection there were 29 people being supported.
A registered manager was in post and was present during our inspection. 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.
Staff had received training in and understood how to protect people from any harm and abuse. Systems were in place for staff to follow which protected people and kept them safe. Staff knew how to and were confident in reporting any concerns they may have about a person’s safety.
Risk assessments reflected how care should be provided to the person to minimise any risks to them; they were regularly reviewed to adapt the level of support needed in response to people's often rapidly changing needs. People were supported to take their medicines safely and when they needed them.
People were happy they were supported by sufficient numbers of staff to safely meet their needs. Checks were completed on potential new staff to make sure they were suitable to work with people in their own home.
Staff had the skills and knowledge to understand and support people's needs. Staff were supported in their roles by managers and their colleagues.
Staff asked people’s permission before they helped them with any care or support. People’s right to make their own decisions about their own care and treatment were supported by staff. Where people were unable to make their own decisions these were made in their best interests by people who knew them and other relevant professionals.
Staff supported people to maintain a healthy balanced diet and supported them to make their own choices about what they wanted to eat and drink. People’s health needs were met and they were supported to make and attend health appointments.
People were supported by staff who knew them well and had good relationships with them. Staff regularly spoke with people about their care to ensure the support plans in place met their current needs.
People were encouraged to express their views, preferences and wishes in regard to their care, support and treatment. People were supported by staff in a dignified and respectful manner, with a focus on how they could maintain their optimum level of independence.
People were happy with the care and support they received and gave positive comments about the staff and management at the service. People were able to give their opinions of the care they received at meetings and direct to staff.
The service had a positive culture where staff worked for the benefit of the people they supported. The provider had systems in place which assessed and monitored the quality of care and support staff provided. The quality of the service provision was kept under review and although we found some issues these were actioned quickly. Staff were happy in their work and felt supported by management and involved in the development of the service.