South East Supported Living

Updated 26 July 2018

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 11, 13 and 15 June 2018 and was announced

The inspection was completed by one inspector. Before the inspection, we reviewed all of the information we hold about the service, including notifications sent to us by the provider. Notifications are information about specific important events the service is legally required to send to us. We reviewed the Provider Information Record (PIR). The PIR was information given to us by the provider which we had requested.

During the visit we spoke with six people who use the service, one of the registered managers, three service leaders and eight support workers. We spent time observing the way staff interacted with people who use the service and looked at the records relating to support and decision making for five people. We also looked at records about the management of the service.

Updated 26 July 2018

This service provides care and support to people in supported living settings, so that they can live as independently as possible. In supported living settings, people’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

This inspection took place on 11, 13 and 15 June 2018. This was an announced inspection which meant the provider knew two days before we would be visiting. This was because the location provides a supported living service. We wanted to make sure the registered managers, or someone who could act on their behalf, would be available to support our inspection and make arrangements to meet with people who used the service. At the time of our inspection 24 people were receiving personal care from the service.

There were two registered managers in post at the service. 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. The registered managers shared out the management responsibilities of overseeing the supported living settings where people received care and support.

At the last inspection in September 2017 we identified that improvements were needed to the way people were supported to manage their medicines, the records staff kept of the support they provided to people and the way complaints were handled. The provider also needed to ensure they submitted notifications of important events to us, as required by legislation. At this inspection we found these areas had all been improved and the provider was meeting their legal obligations.

People who used the service were positive about the care and support they received and praised the quality of the staff and management. We observed staff interacting with people in a friendly and respectful way. Staff respected people’s choices and privacy.

People told us they felt safe when receiving care and were involved in developing and reviewing their care plans. Systems were in place to protect people from abuse and harm and staff knew how to use them. Medicines were managed safely and staff had received suitable training in medicines management and administration. People received the support they needed to take their medicines.

There were sufficient staff available to provide the care and support people needed. People told us they received care and support from staff they knew and got on well with. Staff said they felt there were sufficient staff to provide the care and support people needed. Staff understood the needs of the people they were providing care for and had the knowledge and skills to meet their needs.

Staff received a thorough induction when they started working at the service. They demonstrated a good understanding of their role and responsibilities. Staff had completed training to ensure the care and support provided to people was safe and effective to meet their needs.

The service was responsive to people’s needs and wishes. People had regular meetings to provide feedback about their care and there was an effective complaints procedure.

The management team regularly assessed and monitored the quality of the service provided. Feedback from people was encouraged and was used to make improvements to the service. The registered managers had a good understanding of improvements that were needed in the service and had plans in place to implement them. Staff were confident in the skills of the registered managers and their ability to manage the service effectively.