Vestacare

Updated 23 November 2021

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

The inspection was undertaken by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in a ‘supported living’ setting, so that they can live 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 service did not have a manager registered with the CQC. A new manager had been appointed and had started the process of applying to be registered with CQC. Registered managers and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spent time with one person who used the service and spoke with four relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the service manager, head of operations, care workers and the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 23 November 2021

About the service

Vestacare provides a supported living service to people living in their own apartments. People who used the service received personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. We also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection the service provided a supported living service to three people in individual purpose-built self-contained apartments.

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

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

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. People received personalised care that took account of their needs, wishes and preferences. Senior staff were committed to about providing a quality person centred service. Staff spoken with shared that passion and commitment.

Staff were aware of their responsibilities to safeguard people from abuse. There was a positive, person-centred approach to risk management. Risks to people were identified and well managed. Safe systems of recruitment and medicines management were in place. Staff had received training and supervision about Covid-19, infection control and use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Staff received the training and support they needed to carry out their roles effectively. Staff spent lots of time getting to know people before they started to use the service. The assessment process was very detailed, person centred and covered all aspects of what was important to and for the person. People’s apartments had been adapted and decorated specifically to suit their needs and preferences. Where people needed staff support when they became upset or angry, managers and staff were proactive in ensuring people received the support they needed.

Staff were caring and spoke very fondly of the people they supported. They knew people really well and spoke respectfully about them. People and their relatives were listened to and their choices were respected. Where people did not use words to communicate, care records included information about how they expressed their needs, choices and preferences.

The service was following the Accessible Information Standard (AIS). Support plans and risk assessments were person centred, and covered people's identified needs and preferences. They accessed a wide range of activities within the community.

The service is required to have a registered manager in place. The location did not have a registered manager. Where satisfactory steps have not been taken to recruit one within a reasonable timescale this can be a limiter on the rating for Well-led. However, the provider had taken satisfactory steps in a timely manner to recruit a new manager, who had started the process of applying to register with CQC.

Relatives were very positive about the way the service was managed, the staff and the care and support provided. The provider had good oversight of the service. Systems of daily, weekly and monthly meetings and quality assurance checks and audits were in place.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 10 October 2018 and this is the first inspection.

Follow up

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