Real Life Options - Teesside and Redcar Outreach and Supported Living

Updated 25 September 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. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

One inspector carried out this inspection.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in three ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live as independently as possible. 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. Under the regulated activity, the service provides domiciliary support to one person living in their own home.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced.

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. We needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. We also needed to make sure people would be available to speak with us.

Inspection activity started on 5 September 2019 and ended on 10 September 2019. We visited the office location on 5 September 2019.

What we did before the inspection

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. 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 reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees and North Yorkshire local authority commissioning teams. Not all provided a response. We used this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We visited one of the three supported living services and spoke with four people who used the service. We spoke with two relatives over the telephone about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the registered manager and three support workers.

We reviewed three people’s care records and four staff files. We also reviewed records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 25 September 2019

About the service

Real Life Options - Teesside and Redcar Outreach and Supported Living provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. This support is provided through a supported living service and a domiciliary care service. The service supports young adults who live with physical disabilities, learning disabilities or autism spectrum disorders.

This service provides care and support to people living in three ‘supported living’ settings, and to one person in their own home, so that they can live as independently as possible. 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. Under the regulated activity, the service also provides domiciliary support to one person living in their own home.

Not everyone using Real Life Options – Teesside and Redcar Outreach and Supported Living receives regulated activity. 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 take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of inspection 29 people were using the service, of which 18 were receiving personal care.

Services for people with learning disabilities and or autism are supported

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

People lived in their own homes and their tenancies and accommodation was managed by a housing provider. The environment was suitable for people’s needs and changes had been made where needed to accommodate people. The design of the building enabled people to have their own space but also allowed people to have social contact with one another. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

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

Staff understood and responded to potential risks. Safeguarding procedures had been followed. Incidents were recorded and lessons had been learned when incidents had taken place. Good recruitment procedures were in place. There were enough staff to support people safely. Hours were flexible to meet people’s needs.

People were supported in all aspects of their care. They had regular access to healthcare. Nutritional needs and preferences were respected and well managed. Staff received regular supervision and training.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were supported by staff who knew them well. They were treated with kindness and their dignity was maintained. Staff respected people’s wishes and choices. People were actively involved in their care and were supported to be as independent as they wished to be.

People received person-centred care. Records accurately reflected people’s needs, and staff demonstrated good knowledge of these. People were supported to live fulfilled lives. People knew how to make a complaint. Where received, these had been dealt with appropriately. The service was equipped to support people at the end of their lives.

Managers at all levels were visible and staff were supported to deliver a good service. A continual system of improvement was in place which people were part of. The service was integrated into the local community.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

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

Rating at last inspection (and update)

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (Published 31 July 2018). The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

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