Archived: Sense - Community Services and Supported Living Services (North)

Updated 20 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

The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in five ‘supported living’ setting’s 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. Also, the company provides domiciliary care and provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

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 provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 20 August 2019 and ended on 22 August 2019. We visited the office location on 20 August 2019.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. 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 used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with one person who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, team leader and support workers. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and multiple 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.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at an improvement schedule that the registered manager sent to us.

Updated 20 September 2019

About the service

Sense Community Services and Supported Living Services (North) provides personal care and support to people who have sensory needs and/or people living with a learning disability. The office is based in Rotherham.

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 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’s experience of using this service and what we found

People were generally supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. However, some decisions had been made without first checking they were in a person’s best interests.

Management oversight of the administration of medicines needed to be improved. There were shortfalls in the quality monitoring and auditing systems which needed to be further developed and embedded into practice.

The registered manager had failed to notify CQC of a serious incident.

There were suitable and sufficient competent staff available to support people with their needs.

Complaints were being addressed in line with the providers policies.

People were protected from abuse and staff were trained in safeguarding. People were supported to maintain a balanced diet.

Health professionals were regularly involved and consulted with to ensure people had healthy lives.

Staff were kind caring and passionate about supporting people to live a full and positive life.

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 24/04/2018 and this is the first inspection at the new location.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on CQC guidelines.

Enforcement

We have identified two breaches in relation to Regulation 12 safe care and treatment and Regulation 17 good governance at this inspection.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.