Background to this inspection
Updated
14 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. 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
The inspection was undertaken by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service provides care and support to people living in three houses in two ‘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.
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
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. Inspection activity started on 11 July 2019 and ended on 12 July 2019.
What we did before inspection
We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We also asked Healthwatch Bury for their views on the service. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. 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. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with one person who used the service about their experience of the care provided. With their permission we visited them in their home. As well as our discussion, they wanted us to use information from a film they had made about the staff and the support they received, we have done this throughout the report. We spoke with eight members of staff including the registered manager, operations manager, managers, care workers and the behaviour practitioner.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and one person’s medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
Updated
14 August 2019
About the service
Consensus Community Support Limited - Europa House provides a supported living service to people living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection the service provided a supported living service to three people in three individual homes.
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.
The Secretary of State has asked the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to conduct a thematic review and to make recommendations about the use of restrictive interventions in settings that provide care for people with or who might have mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or autism. Thematic reviews look in-depth at specific issues concerning quality of care across the health and social care sectors. They expand our understanding of both good and poor practice and of the potential drivers of improvement.
As part of thematic review, we carried out a survey with the registered manager at this inspection. This considered whether the service used any restrictive intervention practices (restraint, seclusion and segregation) when supporting people. The service used some restrictive intervention practices as a last resort, in a person-centred way, in line with positive behaviour support principles.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
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.
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.
Risks were well managed and people were kept safe from abuse. Medicines were managed safely and people’s health needs were met.
Staff recruitment procedures were robust, staff were well trained and supported.
The provider was meeting the requirements of the MCA. People who used the service were at the centre of all decisions that affected them, they were actively supported to have choice and control in how their support was provided.
Care records were detailed and very person centred. Activities were based on people’s individual interests, hobbies and wishes.
The registered manager and staff all knew people really well. Interactions were respectful, warm and friendly. They demonstrated a genuine fondness for the people they supported and took pride in people’s achievements. Promoting and maintaining people’s independence was at the heart of the service.
The registered manager and staff shared a clear vision and very strong values. The registered manager led by example and was passionately committed to providing exceptionally good quality individualised care and support. Staff were highly motivated and shared the enthusiasm, commitment and passion of the registered manager and providers.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 10/10/2018 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on our published inspection schedules for new services.
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.