Archived: Advance Cornwall

Updated 25 June 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check 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 inspection took place on 27 May 2016 and was announced. The provider was given three days’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service. As the staff team were small we needed to ensure that they would be available. We asked people if they would like to meet with us, but they declined. We spoke with one person on the telephone and we also spoke to one relative. The inspection was conducted by one inspector.

Before the inspection we reviewed any information we held about the service and notifications we had received. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. We received the Provider Information Record (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and the improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection we met and spoke with the service manager and registered manger. After the inspection we spoke with two care staff and two health and social care professionals. We looked at two care records, four staff recruitment files, staff duty rosters, staff training records and records relating to the running of the service.

Updated 25 June 2016

We carried out this announced inspection on 27 May 2016. This was the first inspection of Advanced Cornwall at their new registered offices.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Advance Cornwall is a domiciliary care service that provides care and support to people in their own homes. This includes people with general physical health needs, mental health needs, and learning disabilities. The care ranges from a few hours of support a week up to 24 hour care for people in supported living. A supported living service is one where people live in their own home and receive care and support in order to promote their independence. People have tenancy agreements with Advanced Housing and Support Ltd, and receive their care and support from the domiciliary care agency. As the housing and care arrangements are separate, people can choose to change their care provider without losing their home.

As the service was new they were supporting seven people at the time of the inspection. We spoke with one person and one relative by phone so that they could share their views on the support they or their family member received. We spoke to a health and social care professional to gain their views on the service. Their views were positive and felt that Advance Cornwall met the care needs of the person they supported.

Advance Cornwall comprised of nine staff team members. We spoke with staff members who were enthusiastic and passionate about the new service. People were supported by stable and consistent staff teams who knew people well and had received training specific to their needs. People were involved in choosing the staff that supported them. Efforts were made to match staff with people by identifying any shared interests and hobbies.

People told us they felt safe with the care staff who supported them. Staff were confident about the action to take if they had any safeguarding concerns and were confident the registered manager would follow up any worries they might have. Risk assessments clearly identified any risk and gave staff guidance on how to minimise the risk. They were designed to keep people and staff safe while allowing people to develop and maintain their independence.

Care records were up to date, had been regularly reviewed and accurately reflected the person’s care and support needs. The person’s care plan was presented in written and pictorial formats to enable them to read their plan and be involved in any changes or updates. Details of how the person wished to be supported with their care needs were highly personalised and provided clear information to enable staff to provide appropriate and effective support. The service’s risk assessment procedures were designed to enable people to take risks while providing appropriate protection.

Staff had high expectations for people and were positive in their attitude.. Staff were respectful of the fact they were working in people’s homes. One staff member said “I like the whole system. I like the chance of promoting people to live in their own flats and be as independent as possible.” The service offered flexible support to people and were able to adapt in order to meet people’s needs and support them as they wanted.

Staff told us they enjoyed their work and were well supported through supervision, appraisals and training. The registered managers spoke highly of the staff team describing them as committed and enthusiastic in their approach to work. Staff told us they felt involved in the development of the service and that management listened to any ideas and suggestions they had and took them on board.

The service was well led and all of the staff were highly motivated and keen to ensure the care needs of the person they were supporting were met. The management team had a clear set of values which was also apparent in our discussions with staff. Advance Cornwall had a clear set of values and visions. The organisation works to achieve the PRIDE (Partnership, Respect, Innovation, Drive and Efficiency) principles. This was described in the Provider Information Return (PIR) as ‘These were developed to foster and nurture positive experiences for people we support and their carers as well as cultivate positive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.’ for respecting its staff, we listen to them and explain our actions. We need to get the best out of staff who support people and invite their families in.’