Archived: Advance Lincolnshire

Updated 2 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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide 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 homes.

Notice of inspection

We gave 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider would be in the office to support the inspection. Inspection activity started and finished on 3 July 2019, when we visited the office location.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). 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 used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with one person that used the service, the registered manager, unit manager and two support staff. We looked at one person's care records in full. This included medication administration records and daily notes. We looked at six staff's recruitment, induction, training and supervision records as well as other records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 2 August 2019

About the service

Advance Lincolnshire is a domiciliary care service providing care and support to older people and younger adults, as well as people who may be living with a learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder, dementia, mental health need, or a physical disability.

Not everyone using the service receives regulated activity; the Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; 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 only one person was being supported with personal care.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People continued to receive a good service. They were safe from harm. Systems and appropriately recruited staff supported this. People’s risks were safely managed. Sufficient numbers of staff were employed to support them in taking risks. People were safely supported with handling medicines and keeping their homes clean.

Staff were trained, skilled and well supported by the provider. People had good relationships with the staff who protected their rights to lead a normal life. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People told us staff were kind and caring. People were respected, staff championed their privacy and dignity and encouraged their independence in all aspects of life.

Staff were motivated to provide person-centred care based on people's choices and preferences. They were dedicated and praised for this by health and social care professionals. People were supported to do the things they wanted to. Any dissatisfaction in receiving the service was addressed and resolved.

People had the benefit of a service that was positive, inclusive and forward-looking. There was a registered manager and a management team who maintained checks on how well the service was provided. Documents held in the office were secure to ensure confidentiality of people's information.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

The service continued to meet the characteristics of good in all areas.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC’s website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Rating at last inspection

At the last inspection service was rated Good (report published 9 July 2016).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.