Archived: Greenwich Mencap

Updated 1 August 2017

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 comprehensive inspection took place on 21 June 2017. The inspection team consisted of one inspector. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice of this inspection to ensure the registered manager and staff were available. Prior to the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service and the provider. This included notifications received from the provider about deaths, accidents and safeguarding concerns. A notification is information about important events that the provider is required to send us by law. We also contacted the local authority responsible for monitoring the quality of the service and other health and social care professionals to obtain their views. We used this information to help inform our inspection planning.

At the time of our inspection there were approximately 27 people using the service. We visited the office for the service and spoke with the registered manager, office staff, a support worker and a member of the provider’s training and development team. We spoke with five people using the service and one relative by telephone. We looked at five people’s care plans and records and four staff files as well as records related to the running of the service such as audits and checks in place and policies and procedures.

As part of our inspection we looked at records and reviewed information given to us by the registered manager and members of staff. We looked at the records of people using the service and records related to the management of the service.

Updated 1 August 2017

This inspection took place on 21 June 2017 and was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours' notice of the inspection because we needed to be sure the manager and staff would be in the office. This was first comprehensive ratings inspection for this service since its registration with the CQC on the 11 June 2016.

Greenwich Mencap provides a diverse range of support services including domiciliary care support for adults and children with learning disabilities and their families in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The service aims to promote people’s independence and well-being, encouraging involvement within the community, as well as providing respite services for families. At the time of our inspection the service was providing support to approximately 27 people.

The service had 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

At this inspection we found assessments were in place and conducted to support people where risks to their health and welfare had been identified. There were appropriate safeguarding and whistle-blowing procedures in place and staff had an understanding of these procedures. Appropriate recruitment checks took place before staff started work and we saw there was enough staff to meet people’s needs.

The registered manager and staff had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and acted according to this legislation. Staff completed an induction when they started work and received training relevant to the needs of people using the service. Care plans detailed people’s nutritional and support needs where required. People had support to access health and social care professionals if required. People were provided with appropriate information about the service and were consulted about their care. Care plans were in place that provided information for staff on how to support people safely and appropriately. People said staff were kind and their privacy and dignity was maintained. People were aware of the complaints procedure and we saw complaints were managed appropriately.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service provided to people. The provider conducted observations of staff and people using the service to ensure people were supported in line with their care plans. There was an electronic call monitoring system in place which ensured people received support when required. Staff were provided with opportunities to share good practice and provide feedback about the service and the provider was in the process of implementing a service user feedback form.