29 August 2019
During a routine inspection
Walsingham Support North Cumbria is a supported living service providing personal care to 20 younger and older adults with a learning disability and/or associated conditions in their own homes.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.
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 were supported in their own homes in smaller groups.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Some of the people who used the service had complex needs and they did not express their views verbally about the service. During the time we spent with people we saw they appeared comfortable with staff.
Staff supported people to ensure they received care that helped them develop. Staff received training and support to help them carry out their role.
Some people displayed distressed behaviours. Not all staff had completed training in this area before supporting people. We have made a recommendation about this.
Most people and relatives said they felt safe and were positive about the care provided. We have made a recommendation that staffing capacity is kept under review to ensure people are kept safe and person-centred care is provided.
Staff knew the people they were supporting well. Detailed care plans were in place that documented how people wished to be supported. Staff had developed good relationships with people, were caring in their approach and treated people with respect.
Information was accessible to involve people in decision making about their lives. Most 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 for people.
Some areas of improvement were required to strengthen the governance system. Improvements had been made as a result of recent safeguarding incidents raised due to the management of some behaviours that challenge, but they needed to be actioned in a more timely way.
As a specialist service, moving forward, more robust systems need to be in place to successfully manage such behaviours, including people’s transition to the service, to ensure people enjoy a good quality of life and keep all people safe.
Regular audits and checks were carried out. These however, had not identified the issues we had found at inspection to ensure care and support was provided safely and in a person-centred way.
There were opportunities for people, relatives and staff to give their views about the service. Processes were in place to manage and respond to complaints and concerns.
People were supported to enjoy activities in the community and to go on holiday.
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 and staff were positive about the management of the service and felt valued and respected.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 28 March 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
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.