SENSE - South East Supported Living Services

Updated 7 August 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. 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

The inspection team consisted of one inspector.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in two supported living settings, so that they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. The Care Quality Commission does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). 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. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

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. We used this and all other information we had about the service to plan and help support our inspection.

During the inspection

On the day of the inspection we spoke with the registered manager and deputy manager. We reviewed a range of records. These included three people’s care records and risk assessments. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision, and a variety of records relating to the management and quality of the service.

After the inspection

We spoke with five relatives of people using the service and five care workers. We discussed with the registered manager and deputy manager us visiting the service. The registered manager told us that due to people’s communication and other needs, and possible interruption to people’s very busy lives, a visit from us could be more disadvantageous than beneficial to people. There was no indication from our records, people’s relatives and a local authority care manager of any concerns to do with the services. We therefore decided on this occasion we would not visit the two supported living services.

Following the inspection visit, we continued to seek clarification from the registered manager to validate evidence found. We looked at training and staff meetings data, quality assurance records and records of people’s participation in a range of activities. We received feedback from one care worker via email. We contacted two health and social care professionals by email and telephone and received a response from one care manager.

Updated 7 August 2019

About the service

SENSE-South East Supported Living Services is a supported living service. It provides care and support in supported living settings to people who live with learning disabilities and sensory impairments. At the time of the inspection there were five people using the service.

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. The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. People using the service received planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that was appropriate and inclusive for them. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

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

The service continued to demonstrate that they provided a service that had some outstanding characteristics. The service has continued to be flexible and very responsive to people’s individual needs and preferences. The support and care that people received was particularly personalised and led by the people using the service.

People’s relatives told us they participated fully in people’s care and were kept up to date about any changes. People’s relatives described staff as “brilliant” and of “going the extra mile.”

The culture of the service was open and supportive. Staff valued people, listened to them and encouraged their empowerment by supporting people to overcome day to day barriers and encouraging them to accomplish their goals.

Staff used innovative and individual ways of involving people in their care and support plans. Staff knew people very well and had developed positive relationships with them. Staff were enthusiastic and passionate about supporting people to have as many opportunities as possible so that they lived a fulfilled life.

Staff understood each person’s communication needs. People were provided with the support and tools they needed to help them communicate effectively. One person had been supported to significantly develop their communication by increasing their signing skills.

Staff continued to support people in innovative ways to become less anxious and more accepting of a range of medical procedures, so their health and medical needs were met by the service.

Staff worked as a team to provide people with the support they needed to enable them to be as independent as possible. People were listened to and took a lead in their care. People were valued and respected by staff, who supported them to achieve the goals they set.

People have continued to be supported to fully take part in a wide range of activities, most community based. These met people's preferences and helped them to develop new skills, which promoted their independence and well-being.

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 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 10 January 2017)

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.