Archived: Creative Support - South Manchester Womens Project

This is what we found:

Is the service safe?

Suitable policies and procedures were in place relating to the safeguarding of people who used the service. All staff had received safeguarding training. Risk assessments were in place for people and these were regularly updated. Systems were in place to make sure staff learned from incidents, complaints and other events.

Is the service effective?

A full assessment of people's needs was carried out prior to people starting to use the service. People were fully involved in this assessment. An initial support plan was put in place, followed by a more in depth plan within approximately six weeks of a person moving to the project. These were updated every six months, or earlier if people's needs changed.

The people we spoke with told us they were very happy with the care and support they received from Creative Support ' South Manchester Women's Project.

Is the service caring?

People were involved in the development of their care and support plans. We saw they were up to date and reflected people's needs. We saw that staff interacted with people in a caring way and people appeared comfortable throughout the project.

People knew and liked the staff at the project. They commented that they had choices about how they spent their days.

Is the service responsive?

The service employed enough staff to be able to provide cover for staff absences. Staff received training to ensure they were competent in all aspects of people's care and support. People visited the project prior to making a decision about moving in, and their rooms were decorated or refurbished in accordance with their wishes. A monthly house meeting was held so people could discuss any changes they felt were required.

People's care and support plans were updated at least every six months. Staff knew people well and we saw evidence that changes to people's support were made immediately when required. Incidents were also recorded and analysed to ensure any improvements necessary were made.

Is the service well-led?

Creative Support ' South Manchester Women's Project had a statement of purpose that included all aspects of the service. Staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities. They met regularly with the manager. Senior managers were also in regular contact with the service. There was an effective quality assurance system in place and any issues were addressed promptly.

The people who used the service were supported by a designated primary worker and we observed staff to be unhurried, respectful and considerate to the people who lived at the home. During our visit we also observed one service user working with their primary worker on updating their personal recovery plan. When we examined the care plans we saw that they contained personalised information and evidence of consent to living at the home as well as permission for staff to retain some responsibility for their affairs. The people who lived in the home were supported to manage their own accommodation, finances, self-medicate, plan their food shopping and cook their own meals.

The staff told us the home was very well run and it was 'lovely here' and very person centred. They felt there was a good team spirit and that they were trained and supported to carry out their work.

We reviewed the care records held for three people who lived in the project. We found that care plans clearly identified the needs of the person in relation to managing their mental health and the support they required to develop their independent living skills.

We found staff had received training on safeguarding vulnerable adults and had access to appropriate policies and procedures. All the people we spoke with who used the service told us they felt safe.

We spoke with three members of staff who told us they felt supported in their work. All staff we spoke with told us they were confident in carrying out their responsibilities. We saw evidence that staff were appropriately qualified and provided with training relevant to their role.

We found that there were adequate systems in place to regularly assess and monitor the quality of the service people received.