Avon Support

Updated 30 August 2019

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

On 31 July 2019, one inspector carried out this inspection.

Service and service type

Crown Buildings provides a domiciliary care service to people in their own homes. CQC regulates the personal care provided.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. The registered manager was one of two directors who owned the service.

Notice of inspection

The inspection visit was announced. The registered manager, who was one of two directors, was given 48 hours' notice because they provide care and support to people in their own homes. We needed to be sure that someone would be available at the office to speak with us.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. The provider completed a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all of this information to plan our inspection. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

During the inspection

Inspection site visit activity started on 31 July 2019 and was concluded on 31 July 2019. On 31 July 2019 we visited the office location to speak with the registered manager and to review care records and policies and procedures. We spoke with the registered manager, a director, a team leader (who also provided care to people) and one care staff member. We spoke with two people to ask them to tell us about their experiences of using this service. Other people who received a service, were unable to talk with us.

We reviewed a range of records. This included examples of three people’s care records and multiple medication records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, audits, complaints, compliments and evidence of activities people were involved and people’s overall feedback about the service.

Updated 30 August 2019

About the service

Crown Buildings is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes, including younger people who have a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder and or a physical disability.

At the time of our visit the agency supported 15 people. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided. Six people received support with personal care. Some people who received personal care required support 24 hours a day while other people received support at pre- arranged times.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People felt safe with care staff who supported them and those staff knew what they would do if they had any concerns about people’s safety and welfare. Care staff were trained in safeguarding adults and staff understood how to protect people from abuse and poor practice.

Staff were recruited safely, and there were enough staff to provide the care and support people needed it at the times they preferred.

Safe procedures to manage people's medicines and to prevent the risk of infection were understood and followed by staff. Regular checks made sure risks or errors were kept to a minimum.

People and their relatives made decisions about their care and were supported by staff who understood and followed the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff were caring and respected people's right to privacy and dignity and staff encouraged people to remain as independent as possible, as well as supporting people to maintain and improve their daily living skills. Care plans were personalised to support the person centred care the management team told us people received.

Call schedules, staff and people told us care was provided by a consistent care team, at the times people preferred. People were involved in how their care was delivered and ongoing reviews ensured it remained what people needed. This meant staff got to know people well, especially their individual routines and preferences. Staff encouraged people to remain as independent as possible by supporting people to do things they could do for themselves.

The provider’s governance systems were operated and managed effectively to ensure good care outcomes for people that continued to meet their needs.

There was an experienced registered manager and management team who provided good leadership and were committed to providing a good quality service to people. It was evident that their commitment and passion to provide people with good care outcomes was central to the delivery of its service. People and staff found the management team open, approachable and responsive. Staff said it was a pleasure to work at this service and staff showed us a strong responsibility to support people in their care.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was Good (published 2 February 2017)

Why we inspected

This was a planned and announced inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. The previous ‘good’ service provided to people had remained consistent.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk