8 August 2019
During a routine inspection
Next Stage Crostons Court offers support to people living in four supported living properties located in Bury, Rochdale, Urmston and Blackburn. People are supported to develop their independent living skills as well as maintain their own tenancy. Individual staff teams are based at each location with staff available throughout the day and night time. At the time of our inspection there were 30 people using the service.
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’s experience of using this service and what we found
People spoke positively about their experience. People said they felt safe and trusted the staff. People said they were offered lots of encouragement and support to follow a lifestyle of their own choosing. One person talked about how the service was now supporting them to move to more independent accommodation. Whilst others spoke about how they no longer felt socially isolated and were now learning new skills as well as developing friendships with other people.
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.
There was great emphasis on providing a ‘personalised’ service for people. Designated staff were available to support people to explore social, education and employment opportunities helping to promote their independence, increase community presence as well as reduce social isolation.
The service had recently gone through a period of restructure. All staff spoken with felt this had been well managed, with positive improvements to the service including open and inclusive management who now ‘listen’ to staff.
A review of records, feedback received, and our observations showed sufficient numbers of staff, that had been safely recruited, were available to respond to people’s requests for support. This was available on a planned and informal basis.
The service focused on the personal development and support of staff, providing a wide range of opportunities based on their individual learning needs as well as the needs of people they supported. Staff were enthusiastic about their role and the improvements being made. They said the service was well run, there was good team work and they were effectively supported in their role.
Detailed assessments were completed, which were then used to inform the development of people’s support plans and risk assessments. These focused on minimising areas of risk whilst enabling people to remain as independent as possible. 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.
Systems were in place to support people with the safe management and administration of their prescribed medicines. People had access to a range of health care support where needed.
Varying levels of support were provided in areas such as budgeting, shopping, cooking and housekeeping, encouraging people to continually develop their independent living skills.
Good working relationships had been developed with the landlord to ensure individual properties were maintained. Relevant health and safety checks including fire safety were completed to make sure people and the premises were kept safe.
There was evidence of on-going management and oversight of the service. Regular audits and checks were completed to monitor and review the standards of care. Any themes or patterns were explored, such as accidents or incidents, an action plan was put in place to evidence improvement to be made.
System were in place for the recording and responding to any safeguarding issues or complaints and concerns. These were responded to appropriately.
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 6/2/2019 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on our inspection programme.
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 positive behaviour support principles to support people in the least restrictive way. No restrictive intervention practices were used.
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.