Background to this inspection
Updated
9 September 2016
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check 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 20 July 2016. This was an announced inspection which meant the provider had prior notice that we would be visiting. This was because the location provides a supported living service to people in their own homes, and we wanted to make sure the provider would be available to support our inspection, or someone who could act on their behalf.
The inspection team consisted of one inspector. An inspection of the office from which the service was run took place and phone calls were made to people using the service, their relatives and staff to gain their feedback. The service was previously inspected on 19 August 2014 with no concerns. This inspection was the service's first rated inspection.
Before the inspection we checked the information we held about the service and the service provider. This included statutory notifications sent to us by the provider about incidents and events that had occurred at the service. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. We also reviewed the provider information return (PIR) prior to this inspection. 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 all this information to decide which areas to focus on during our inspection.
During our inspection we spoke with three people being supported by the service, two relatives, three staff members and one health professional who had worked alongside the service. These conversations took place by telephone. We spoke face to face with the regional manager who has put in an application to be the registered manager for the service, and the team manager during our inspection. We reviewed records relating to people's care and other records relating to the management of the service. These included the care records for four people, four staff files and a selection of the provider's policies.
Updated
9 September 2016
Reach supported living is a supported and independent living service providing extra care and domiciliary support services for people with individual needs. At the time of our inspection 9 people were being supported by this service.
This inspection took place on 20 July 2016. This was an announced inspection which meant the provider had prior knowledge that we would be visiting the service. This was because the location provides a domiciliary care service, and we wanted to make sure the manager would be available to support our inspection, or someone who could act on their behalf.
At the time of our inspection a regional manager and a team manager were in place at the service. The regional manager had submitted an application to The Care Quality Commission (CQC) to be the registered manager. 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. The regional manager and the team manager were both available throughout the inspection.
People who use the service and their relatives were positive about the care they received and praised the quality of the staff and management. Comments from people and their relatives included “I have the same group of staff, brilliant staff, they work hard” and “They are good at forming relationships with the people they support”.
Systems were in place to manage risk and protect people from abuse. Staff were aware of their responsibilities and knew what actions they needed to take to ensure people were protected.
Staff were appropriately trained and skilled. They received a thorough induction when they started working for the service. They demonstrated a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Staff had completed training to ensure the care and support provided to people was safe and effective to meet their needs.
The care records demonstrated that people’s care needs had been assessed and considered their emotional, health and social care needs. People’s care needs were regularly reviewed to ensure they received appropriate and safe care, particularly if their care needs changed.
Staff felt supported by the management team who were approachable and available if needed. The team manager regularly worked alongside staff and had a good understanding of the staff team and people who were being supported.