Archived: Eden Community Services

Updated 29 January 2019

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.

The inspection took place on 10 and 12 December 2018. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because we needed to be sure that someone would be at the service to assist with the inspection.

We visited the office location to see the registered manager and office staff; and to review care records, policies and procedures.

The inspection team consisted of one adult social care inspector.

Prior to our inspection visit we reviewed the information we held about the service, for example notifications. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. In addition, we contacted three health and social care professionals to ask about their views and experience of the service.

The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) on this occasion. A PIR is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

As part of the inspection we spoke with one person who used the service and the relative of another, via telephone calls. We spoke with six members of staff employed at the service including a team leader and the registered manager.

We looked at the personnel records for two members of staff and reviewed the support plans of two people who used the service. We also looked at a sample of the policies, procedures and records relating to the safe operation of the service.

Following the inspection, we asked the registered manager to send us further information about the running of Eden Community Service. We received the information we requested.

Updated 29 January 2019

The inspection took place on 10 and 12 December 2018. The inspection was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and we needed to be sure that there was someone at the office to assist us with the inspection. This was our first inspection of the service.

Eden Community Services is a domiciliary care agency. The service provides care and support to people living in ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live in their own home 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. It provides a service to older adults and younger adults with mental health issues. Not everyone using Eden Community Service receives the 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 our inspection there were two people receiving support with personal care.

There is a registered manager 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People told us the staff team were kind and caring. They spoke positively about the support provided by the service. We observed that there was a welcoming and friendly atmosphere at the service. The people we spoke to also commented on the friendliness of the service.

People had personalised support plans, health plans and activity plans to ensure their individual needs were met. People and their relatives, where appropriate, had been involved as much as possible in the care and support planning process. This helped to make sure their support was personalised to their needs and preferences.

Risks to people, including risks relating to the premises and equipment, were effectively assessed, monitored and reduced. Staff knew what to do in an emergency. There was a safe system to manage and administer medicines.

There were enough staff to meet people's needs and safe recruitment procedures were in place. Support workers had adequate training to meet people's needs and keep them safe.

People were supported with food, drink and shopping where this had been identified in their needs assessments. Health needs were addressed and people were supported to access these types of services when necessary.

People and their relatives said they felt safe at the service. People were supported by staff that knew them very well. Support workers were knowledgeable about what the signs of abuse might be and how they should report any concerns.

The management team were aware of their responsibilities with regards to keeping people safe (safeguarding) and worked with local authority, NHS and Police to address any concerns.

We saw and heard support workers treating people respectfully. People were encouraged to be as independent as possible. Social inclusion was encouraged. People were supported and encouraged to take part in social activities within the service as well as maintaining links with the community.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives as was assessed to be safe and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; all staff worked within the guidelines of the Mental Capacity Act 2005; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Support workers said they felt well supported and that the management team were very approachable.

There were robust systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service. People's views were sought about the service through regular tenants’ meetings and annual surveys.

People and their relatives told us they had not needed to raise any complaints about the service. There was a complaints procedure in place and people told us that they knew who to speak to if they were not happy with the service they received.