Archived: Community Options Limited - 2a Fielding Lane

Updated 17 June 2015

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.

Before the inspection we looked at all the information we had about the service. This information included statutory notifications that the provider had sent to CQC. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

This inspection took place on 27 April 2015 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service; we needed to be sure that someone would be in. The inspection team comprised of an 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.

We looked at five people’s care records, staff training and recruitment records and records relating to the management of the service. We spoke with fifteen people using the service, a relative of one person using the service, six members of staff and the manager. We also spoke with two community psychiatric nurses and asked them for their views about the service.

Updated 17 June 2015

This inspection was carried out on 27 April 2015 and was announced. At our last inspection on 4 November 2013, we found the provider was meeting the regulations in relation to outcomes we inspected.

Community Options Limited - 2a Fielding Lane provides support to people with mental health problems living in the community. At the time of our inspection the service was providing support to approximately 100 people.

The service 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The registered manager was still working at the service but planned to relinquish this role. A new manager had been appointed by the provider and was managing the service at the time of this inspection. They had applied to the Care Quality Commission to become the registered manager for the service.

People said they felt safe and staff treated them well. Appropriate recruitment checks took place before staff started work. Safeguarding adult’s procedures were robust and staff understood how to safeguard the people they supported from abuse. There was a whistle-blowing procedure available and staff said they would use it if they needed to. People had access to health care professionals when they needed them and were supported to take their medicines as prescribed by health care professionals.

Staff had completed training specific to the needs of people using the service and they received regular supervision. The manager had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People’s independence was promoted and they were encouraged to buy their own food and cook for themselves. Where appropriate peoples care files included assessments relating to their dietary support needs.

Assessments were undertaken to identify people’s support needs before they started using the service. People had been consulted about their care and support needs. Support plans and risk assessments provided clear information and guidance for staff on how to support people to meet their needs. People were aware of the complaints procedure and said they were confident their complaints would be listened to, investigated and action taken if necessary.

The provider sought the views of people using the service through surveys. They recognised the importance of monitoring the quality of the service provided to people. Staff said they enjoyed working at the service and they received good support from the manager. They said there was an out of hours on call system in operation that ensured management support and advice was always available when they needed it.