Archived: Potens Torbay Domiciliary Care Services

Updated 17 November 2017

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 announced inspection took place on 10 October 2017. The provider was given 48 hours' notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and people are often out during the day; we needed to be sure that someone would be in. One social care inspector carried out this inspection.

Prior to the inspection, we reviewed the information held about the service. This included previous inspection reports and statutory notifications we had received. A statutory notification is information about important events, which the service is required to tell us about by law. Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This form asks the provider to give some key information about the service for instance, what the service does well, as well as any improvements they plan to make.

At the time of the inspection, two people were receiving personal care from the service. We used a range of different methods to help us understand people's experience. We looked at care records for the two people who received personal care to check their care was delivered as planned. We looked at how the service managed people's medicines, the quality of care provided, as well as records relating to the management of the service. These included three staff personnel files, staff training records, duty rotas, and quality assurance audits. We spoke with the two people who received personal care from the service and three people who received support, two staff, the manager, and the positive behaviour facilitator. We received feedback from one healthcare professional.

Updated 17 November 2017

Potens Torbay Domiciliary Care Services provides a supported living service to people with a learning disability or mental health needs. A supported living service is where people live in their own home and receive care and support in order to promote their independence. At the time of our inspection, not everyone using the service received personal care. CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with personal care. The service provided support to seven people; four people lived in Conifer Lodge and the other three people lived in their own homes in the community. Two of these people were receiving personal care. We visited the supported living setting at Conifer Lodge. People had their own rooms and shared other parts of the house including the lounge, kitchen, and dining room.

This announced inspection took place on 10 October 2017. The provider was given 48 hours' notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and people are often out during the day; we needed to be sure that someone would be in. One social care inspector carried out this inspection.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good overall. At this inspection, we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated good:

People received a safe service. One person said "I have no worries at all.” Everyone looked very comfortable and relaxed with the staff who supported them. People told us there were enough staff to meet their needs and to spend time socialising with them. Risks had been appropriately assessed and staff had been provided with clear guidance on the management of identified risks. One person’s relative raised concerns about medicines in July 2017. We found new systems had been put in place. People were protected from the risks associated with unsafe medicine administration because medicines were managed safely.

People received effective care because staff had the skills and knowledge required to support them. Staff monitored people's healthcare needs and advice and support was sought from healthcare professionals when needed. 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 provided a caring service to people. People told us, and we observed, that staff were kind, caring, and patient. Comments included “I’m very happy, it’s a brilliant home” and “You ought to move in, it’s lovely”. People were involved in decisions about the care and support they received.

Staff were responsive to people's individual needs. Care and support was personalised to each person which ensured they were able to make choices about their day to day lives. People were aware of how to make a complaint and felt able to raise concerns if something was not right.

The service was well led. People and staff told us the management team were open and approachable. The manager and provider sought people's views, listened to them and used suggestions to make improvements. One person said “The manager is great.” Staff told us improvements had been made in the past couple of months. The manager and provider had monitoring systems which enabled them to identify good practice and areas of improvement.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.