Background to this inspection
Updated
10 July 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 checked 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 23 April 2018 and was announced, two inspectors carried out the inspection. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection to ensure the staff we needed to speak to were available.
Advance Fareham is registered to provide personal care to people. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting six people in supported living services. The service was supporting eleven other people with activities that are not regulated by the Care Quality Commission.
The inspection included: talking to people that use the service, speaking to the manager, interviewing staff, and observation in the services. We visited the office location on 23 April to see the manager and to review care records and policies and procedures. Before the inspection, we reviewed all the information we held about the service including previous inspection reports and notifications received by the Care Quality Commission. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to tell us about by law. Prior to the inspection we reviewed information included on the 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. We used this information to help us decide what areas to focus on during our inspection.
We spoke to four people supported by the service at three different homes and four members of staff. We looked at four people’s care plans. We reviewed correspondence about the service from two people at the local authority, a Contract Management Lead and Commissioning Manager.
Updated
10 July 2018
Advance Fareham is registered to provide personal care to people. At the time of our inspection, the service was supporting six people. It provides a service to older people and younger adults living with learning disabilities, autism, mental health conditions and dementia.
This service provides care and support to people living in 'supported living' settings, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. People's housing was 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 only.
Some people lived in two houses of multiple occupation. This meant at least three people shared household facilities such as toilets, bathrooms and kitchens. Other people lived in a block of seven self-contained flats with their own household facilities. The houses and flats were situated close to each other geographically, in the same city.
There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
Not everyone using Advance Fareham received regulated activity; the Commission only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where people received these services, their wider social needs were taken into account.
People were supported with their medication. The service was not recording the room temperatures of where medicines were being stored. Where the service was supporting people with self-administration and storing their medicines for them; the records did not always show the boxed medication had been given to the person. The registered manager had extra training organised to further improve how the service assists individuals with taking their medicines. Medication and health and safety audits were completed.
People were safeguarded from abuse in the service. The registered manager and staff understood their responsibilities in protecting people from abuse and raising concerns. Staff had received training in safeguarding.
Incidents and accidents were recorded and lessons identified where possible.
Staff were recruited safely, following the appropriate checks. Staff received effective training and support to carry out their duties.
Care plans included person-centred information about risks and how to mitigate them safely. People were referred to other healthcare professionals as needed, in a timely fashion. The service worked in partnership with other professionals and agencies.
The registered person was notifying the Commission without delay of certain types of incidents for example abuse or allegations of abuse.
People were treated equally and in accordance with the Equalities Act 2010.
The service was not supporting people at the end of their lives at the time of the inspection. The service had discussed some people’s wishes for the end of their lives and planned to further explore end of life choices with people.
People were supported in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and staff always sought consent from people before supporting them.
The service incorporated best practice guidance into their care and support. People told us that staff were kind and caring towards them. People were treated with dignity and respect.
The service was well-led, people and staff felt well supported by the registered manager. Staff understood their responsibilities and were proud of achievements they had made in their work.
People knew how to raise a complaint and received feedback from the service about the investigation of their complaint.