Archived: Lewisham Enablement Service

Updated 25 May 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

One inspector and two Experts by Experience carried out this inspection. The Expert by Experience was a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses a domiciliary care service.

Service and service type:

Lewisham Enablement Service provides care, treatment and support to adults who are living with ill health or a physical disability. At the time of this inspection, 90 people were using the service. Not everyone using the service receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection:

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the registered manager is often out of the office supporting staff. We needed to be sure that they would be in. Inspection site visit activity started and ended on 1 April 2019. We visited the office location on 1 April 2019 to see the registered manager and office staff; and to review care records, policies and procedures.

What we did:

Before the inspection, we looked at information we held about the service including notifications sent to us. A notification is information about important events, which the service is required to send us by law. The provider completed 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.

During the inspection:

We also spoke with the registered manager and two support workers.

We looked at 15 care records and medicine administration records. We also looked at 15 staff records and other documents relating to the management of the service.

After the inspection:

We spoke with 14 people who used the service and one relative. We did not receive feedback from the two health and social care professionals we contacted.

Updated 25 May 2019

About the service:

Lewisham Enablement Service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to adults living in their own houses and flats. People also receive support through rehabilitation. This approach helped people to improve their level of independence following an accident or deterioration in their health. Rehabilitation was scheduled to be in place for up to six weeks, therefore the numbers of people using the service could vary each week. At the time of this inspection 90 people were using the service.

People's experience of using this service:

There were established safeguarding processes in place that were followed by staff. This helped staff to manage and report allegations of abuse while protecting people.

Staff assessed people to identify risks to their health and wellbeing. Plans were put in place to manage any risks found.

People were supported by staff when taking medicines. Medicine administration records were completed and audited for accuracy.

The provider and registered manager followed a robust recruitment process to employ suitable staff.

People and relatives contributed to an assessment of their care, treatment and support needs. An individual plan of care was developed and regularly reviewed which detailed people’s individual support requirements.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff contacted people and their relatives for their opinions of the service. People gave positive responses and feedback regarding the care and support they received.

People said staff were kind and respectful to them and their dignity and privacy was protected when people received personal care.

People chose the activities that they wanted to take part in, staff supported people to access their local community to continue to enjoy them.

People, relatives and staff said the service was well run. They said that the management team were available when they needed support or advice.

There were established systems used for monitoring and reviewing the quality of care and service delivery.

Rating at last inspection: At the last inspection on 11 August 2016, the service was rated overall Good. (Report published on 16 September 2016).

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating of the service at the last inspection.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.