Updated 24 January 2024
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
This 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 to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care service.
This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations. The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission.
Notice of inspection
The inspection was announced. We gave a short period notice of the inspection to ensure the manager was on site and so people could consent to phone calls.
Inspection activity started on 14 December with calls to relatives and people who use the service and ended on 18 December 2023. We visited the office location on 18 December 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. 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 this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with 3 people who used the service and 9 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with and received feedback from 16 members of staff including the registered manager, office administrator, care workers and 4 healthcare professionals.
We reviewed a range of records. This included people’s care records and medication records. We looked at staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and audits were reviewed.
After the inspection
Following our visit we continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We also looked at training data and quality assurance records.