Macclesfield Supported Living Network

Updated 16 November 2018

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.

This inspection took place on 01 October 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection was carried out by two adult social care inspectors and one assistant inspector.

We looked at all of the information that Care Quality Commission had received about and from, the service since the last inspection. This included notifications about issues that had happened in the service.

The registered manager had completed a provider information return. A provider information return is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what they do well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection we spoke with the registered manager, the nominated person, five support staff and three people receiving a service. We also contacted other professionals from health and social care for feedback about the service including social workers.

We spent time observing how people were supported and their interactions with staff in order to understand their experience.

We spent time looking at records, including five people's care records, seven staff files and other records relating to the management of the service, such as policies and procedures, accident/incident recording and audit documentation.

Updated 16 November 2018

Macclesfield Supported Living Network provides support with personal care to adults with learning disabilities who live in five bungalows and flats in Macclesfield. The network is managed during normal office hours and provides a service 24 hours a day for 365 days a year. The service had capacity to provide support for 36 people but was providing support for 33 people at the time of inspection.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. However, the effective domain is rated as requires improvement due to mental capacity assessment processes not always being completed. This has not affected the overall rating of the service that retains a good rating.

This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

The service had been developed and designed prior to the development of the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values included choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. However, we saw that people with learning disabilities who used the service were able to live as ordinary a life as any citizen. We saw that people’s homes did not house more than six people.

Risks to people's safety and well-being had been identified and plans put in place to minimise risk. Support plans were detailed and person centred. Medicines were managed safely and staff had the appropriate training to support people effectively.

The provider had systems in place to ensure that people were protected from the risk of harm or abuse. We saw there were policies and procedures in place to guide staff in relation to safeguarding adults and whistleblowing.

Support plans showed that people's GPs and other healthcare professionals were contacted for advice about people's health needs whenever necessary. We saw the service had responded promptly when people had experienced health problems.

People who used the service that we spoke with all gave positive feedback about the support received. The service had a relaxed feel and people could move freely around their own homes as they chose. People were able to have control over their lives and participate in activities they enjoyed.

Staff were recruited safely and then supported in their roles with induction, training, supervision and appraisal. Ongoing competency checks were also completed.

Policies and procedures were in place and updated, such as safeguarding, complaints, medication and other health and safety topics. Management and quality assurance systems had been devised and were in place to drive continuous improvement and the service.

Further information is in the detailed findings below