Community Links

Updated 25 January 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

Community Links is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we wanted to make sure that the manager was in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since it was registered. We sought feedback from the local authority care commissioners 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 all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two relatives of people using the service, two care staff and the registered manager.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We requested further documents to support our evidence.

Updated 25 January 2023

About the service

Community Links is a domiciliary care service. 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 specialises in caring for adults with complex health needs, including learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder and sensory impairment. Community Links were supporting two people at the time of out inspection and were in the transition process to provide care for three more people.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities which most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Right Support

Staff supported people with activities that they wanted to do which allowed them to have choice and control over their lives and enjoy a full life. People’s families were engaged with by staff and management to plan support and activities.

Staff enabled people to access specialist health and social care support in the community and people were supported to play an active role in maintaining their own health and wellbeing.

The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe.

Right Care

People’s care, treatment and support plans reflected their range of needs and this promoted their wellbeing and enjoyment of life.

People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff understood and responded to their individual needs.

Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it.

People could take part in activities and pursue interests that were tailored to them.

Right culture

People led inclusive and empowered lives because of the ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of the management and staff.

Staffing was consistent, which supported people to receive care from staff who knew them well. This meant people received compassionate and empowering care which was tailored to their needs.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

This service was registered with us on 2 November 2020 and this is the first inspection.

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.