Queens Supported Living

Updated 17 November 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.

This inspection took place on 25 & 26 October 2017. Both days were announced.

The provider was given 48 hours' notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be in the office to meet with us.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Before the inspection we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. The provider returned the completed PIR.

Prior to our inspection we sent out surveys to seek people’s views. We sent out six surveys to people who used the service, of which three were returned. We sent 10 surveys to staff of which none were returned. We sent eight surveys to family members of those using the service of which none were returned. We sent 20 surveys to community professionals of which two were returned.

Prior to the inspection we looked at the information held about the provider and the service including statutory notifications and enquiries relating to the service. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us. We used this information to help us plan this inspection.

We contacted commissioners for social care, responsible for funding some of the people that use the service and asked them for their views.

We sought the experience of five people who used the service by meeting and speaking with them in their home.

We spoke with the registered manager, deputy manager, senior support worker and three support workers.

During the inspection visit we looked at the care records of three people who used the service. These records included care plans, risk assessments and daily records; we also looked at records for two people who had a Court of Protection Order in place. We looked at recruitment and training records for four members of staff. We looked at the provider's systems for monitoring quality, complaints and concerns, minutes of meetings, staff training records and a range of policies and procedures.

Updated 17 November 2017

This inspection took place on 25 and 26 October 2017 and was announced.

Creative Care is registered to provide personal care and support for people with mental health needs and/or a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder. At the time of our inspection there were eleven people using the service. People using the service resided within supported living accommodation.

Creative Care had a registered manager in post. 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.

The overall rating of good, which was awarded following the CQC's previous inspection of 20 October 2015, was displayed. Creative Care has retained its overall rating of good. We found the service following this inspection, to the key question is the service responsive? To be outstanding.

People’s safety and welfare was promoted, which was confirmed by the completed surveys sent out by CQC. Safety and welfare was promoted through comprehensive assessments and on-going review of potential risks to people. Where risks had been identified measures had been put into place to reduce the likelihood of risk and were recorded within people’s records and understood and implemented by staff.

Staff upon their recruitment had their application and references validated and were checked as to their suitability to work with people, which enabled the registered manager to make an informed decision as to their employment. Staff underwent a period of induction and training, which included them being introduced to people whose care and support they would provide.

Staff understood the importance of seeking people’s consent prior to providing care and support. Where restrictions had been placed on people as detailed in Court of Protection Orders, these were clearly understood by staff. Staff were aware of people’s rights to make decisions and were able to tell us how they encouraged people to express their opinions on their care and support. Staff were proactive in liaising with health care professionals and followed advice and guidance as detailed within people’s care plans. People received support with the planning, preparation and cooking of meals where needed to ensure people’s nutritional needs were met.

People's needs were comprehensively assessed and care plans gave clear guidance on how people were to be supported. Care was highly personalised so that each person's support reflected their preferences. We saw that people were at the centre of their care and found clear evidence that their care and support was planned with them and not for them.

Staff fully understood and were committed to providing the care and support reflective of people’s preferences. People were positive about the attitude and care of staff, stating they received support and care from a consistent group of staff. This was confirmed by the surveys completed by people using the service.

The care and support people received was very individualised and person centred, taking into account people’s specific needs. This enabled staff to provide a responsive service to support people reflective of their individual circumstances. Changes to people’s needs were planned for and fully documented and evidenced partnership working with external agencies. Information on how to raise a concern or complaint along with contact details for external agencies was made available to people when they commenced using the service.

The open and inclusive approach adopted by the registered manager, meant people using the service, staff and those employed by external services, such as health and social care were confident and liaised with the registered manager and staff about the service provided. This was reflected in people’s comments and the information we obtained by speaking to staff and the reviewing the surveys sent out by CQC.

The commitment to the continual development of the service and its aim to continually improve the quality of care it provided meant the provider continued to invest and identify areas for further development and improvement.