Archived: SENSE - Supported Living Services (East)

Updated 6 July 2015

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 09 and 10 June 2015. 48 hours’ notice of the inspection was given because the service is small and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in. The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Before the inspection, the provider 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 the inspection we looked at all of the information that we had about service. This included information from notifications received by us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send to us by law.

During the inspection we spoke with three relatives, the registered manager and four care staff. We looked at two people’s care records and records in relation to the management of the service and the management of staff. We observed people’s care to assist us in our understanding of the quality of care people received.

Updated 6 July 2015

SENSE –Supported Living Services (East) is registered supported living service to provide personal care for people living at home and who have hearing and seeing needs. At the time of our inspection there were two people using the service.

A registered manager was in post at the time of the inspection and had been in post for one year. 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.

At our unannounced inspection on 10 October 2013 the provider was meeting the regulations that we had assessed against. We carried out this announced inspection on 09 and 10 June 2015.

People were safe and staff were knowledgeable about reporting any incident of harm. People were looked after by enough staff to support them with their individual needs. Pre-employment checks were completed on staff before they were judged to be suitable to look after people who used the service. People were supported to take their medicines as prescribed and medicines were safely managed.

People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts of food and drink. They were also supported to access a range of health care services and their individual health needs were met.

People’s rights in making decisions and suggestions in relation to their support and care were valued and acted on.

People were supported by staff who were trained and supported to do their job, which they enjoyed.

The CQC monitors the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA 2005) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care services. DoLS applications had not been made to the appropriate authorities to ensure that all of the rights of people’s rights were protected. However the provider had been in contact with the appropriate agencies in relation to this matter.

People were treated by kind, respectful and attentive staff. They and their relatives were involved in the review of people’s individual care plans.

Support and care was provided based on people’s individual needs and they were supported to maintain contact with their relatives and the local community. People took part in a range of hobbies and interests. There was a process in place so that people’s concerns and complaints were listened to and these were acted upon.

The registered manager was supported by their area manager. Staff enjoyed their work and were supported and managed to look after people in a safe way. Staff, people and their relatives were able to make suggestions and actions were taken as a result. Quality monitoring procedures were in place and action had been taken where improvements were identified.