Personalised Support Team - North Nottinghamshire

Updated 25 May 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 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 comprehensive inspection took place on 18 April 2018 and was announced. We gave the service five working days’ notice of the inspection site visit so that we could organise to speak with and visit people who used the service. It was completed by one inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. The inspection site visit activity started on 17 April 2018 when the expert by experience called people on the telephone for their feedback. They spoke with eight relatives. It ended on 18 April 2018 when the inspector visited the office location to see the manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures.

The provider completed a Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used this and information we received from the provider through statutory notifications to plan the inspection visit.

We spoke with the registered manager, one care manager, one quality supervisor, the system coordinator and two support workers. [We have referred to staff except the registered manager as care staff throughout the report.] We reviewed care plans for four people to check that they were accurate and up to date. We also looked at the systems the provider had in place to ensure the quality of the service was continuously monitored and reviewed to drive improvement. We reviewed audits and quality checks for medicines management, reviews of calls, quality feedback and complaints. We also looked at three staff recruitment files.

Updated 25 May 2018

This inspection was announced and was completed on the 18 April 2018. This service provides care and support to people living in three supported living’ settings, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support

The provider also included some domiciliary care provision. This is defined as providing personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. Not everyone using the service receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection 27 people were being supported under the regulated activity of personal care.

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.

At the last inspection we asked the provider to make improvements to some areas of the service and we saw these improvements had been made. People felt safe and staff understood how to report any concerns. Risk assessments had been completed and staff provided guidance in relation to equipment and the environment. There were sufficient staff to meet the needs of people and the service was developing systems to improve consistency. The appropriate checks had been made to ensure staff were suitable to work with people. When open recruitment days had been completed people using the service had been part of this process. Medicines were managed safety and the risk of infection was managed. The service learnt from events and used this to develop new systems.

Staff received training to support their role. This ensured the staff were able to support people. New staff received an induction prior to commencing their role. When people required support with their diet, guidance was provided to consider the requirements of people’s needs. Choices were made available in relation to meals and daily living. When people required support from health care professionals referrals had been made. People are supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

People had established relationships with staff and these showed a caring and individual connection. People felt their dignity was respected and their needs considered. This was reflected in encouraging people’s independence.

Care plans were person centred and reflected the needs of the person. When needs changed these had been reviewed and the changes made. Details in the care plans reflected equality characteristics and communication needs. The provider had considered how information was shared with people and offered it in a range of formats. When part of the care package some people were supported with going out and accessing community services. Complaints were responded to and concerns addressed in line with the policy.

There was a registered manager in post who understood their role in relation to the regulations. Audits had been completed to ensure that the required measures had been done and any areas of concern were addressed. People were able to provide feedback on the service and this information was used to drive the service improvements. Partnerships had been developed with linked services and those in the community or health care sector. Staff felt supported in their role by the registered manager and the provider.