Archived: Care Management Group - 52 Croydon Road

Updated 7 October 2017

We carried out this comprehensive 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 unannounced inspection took place on 30 August 2017 and was carried out by a single inspector. Before the inspection we looked at the information we held about the service including any notifications they had sent us. A notification is information about important events that the provider is required to send us by law. The provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to provide some key information about the service, what the service does well and any improvements they plan to make. We also sent questionnaires to people, their relatives and health professionals. We used this information to inform our inspection planning.

At the inspection we spoke with five people using the service and asked them for their views about the support they received. We observed staff and people interacting and checked the care and support provided met their needs.

We spoke with a senior support worker, two support workers, the registered manager and a visiting health professional. We looked at three care records of people who used the service and two staff recruitment records. We also looked at records related to the management of the service such as staff training records, fire and maintenance checks and audits. After the inspection we spoke with three relatives by phone to gain their views about the service. We also asked three health and social care professionals for their views about the service and received feedback from two of them.

Updated 7 October 2017

52 Croydon Road provides support and personal care for up to nine people, some of whom have learning disabilities and or mental health needs. This service provides care and support to people so they can live in their own home as independently as possible. People’s care and housing is provided under separate agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living and so this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support. On the day of the inspection there were six people living at the service.

At the last inspection on 7 July 2015 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found additional positive changes had been made at the service and it remained Good.

There were some very good aspects of the support provided. People told us the staff team were kind and caring. Relatives spoke positively about the support provided and the progress their family member’s had made. They said support workers sometimes went above and beyond what they needed to and that they knew people very well. Health professionals commented on the consistently welcoming and friendly atmosphere at the service; the proactive attitude of the staff team and manager and on the responsiveness of the service.

People had personalised support plans, health plans and activity plans to ensure their individual needs were catered for. People and their relatives, where appropriate, were involved as far as possible in the planning of their care. People’s needs in relation to their disabilities, race, sexual orientation, religion and gender were recognised and supported appropriately. Regular key worker meetings were held with people to ensure their support was personalised to their needs and preferences and recognised and encouraged their strengths. We observed that support workers treated people respectfully, and had a sense of fun when they interacted with people. People were involved in maintaining their environment safely and encouraged to be as independent as possible. Social inclusion was encouraged through supporting people to maintain effective community links.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives as was assessed to be safe and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; all staff worked within the guidelines of the Mental Capacity Act 2005; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Relatives told us the service was very well run and that they felt their views were listened to and acted on. Support workers told us they felt well supported and said the registered manager was very approachable. There were robust systems to monitor the quality of the service and these worked effectively. People’s views were sought about the service through regular tenants meetings and an annual survey was conducted with professional relatives and people at the service.

People and their relatives said they were safe at the service. They were supported to understand what abuse, bullying and discrimination was and how they could protect themselves. Support workers were knowledgeable about what the signs of abuse might be and how to report any concerns. The manager was aware of their responsibilities under safeguarding and worked in collaboration with local authorities to address any concerns.

Risks to people including risks in relation to the premises and equipment were effectively assessed, monitored and reduced. All staff knew what to do in an emergency. There was a safe system to manage and administer medicines. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and effective recruitment procedures were in place. Support workers had adequate training to meet people’s needs.

People were supported to have enough to eat and drink and any health needs were addressed. People and their relatives told us they had not needed to complain. They were aware there was a complaints procedure in place should that be needed.