Updated 6 July 2022
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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.
We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.
Inspection team
This inspection was undertaken 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.
Service and service type
This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.
Registered Manager
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was announced. We gave the service 72 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.
Inspection activity started on 17 May 2022 and ended on 17 June 2022. We spoke to people and their relatives by telephone on 20 May 2022 and we visited the office location on 17 June 2022.
What we did before the inspection
The provider did not complete the required Provider Information Return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about the service, what it does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with three people who used the service, three relatives, a power of attorney and an advocate about their experience of the care provided. We received feedback from the local authority about safeguarding. We spoke with six members of staff including the registered manager, the care team leader, a senior care staff member and three care staff. We spoke to the chef who was a contractor. This is a person who undertakes a contract to provide a service or do a job.
We reviewed a range of records. This included four people's care records and medication records. We looked at one staff file in relation to recruitment, induction, training and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were also reviewed, including training records, incident records, compliments, quality assurance processes and policies.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarity about the provider information return.