Archived: Autism Sussex Domicilliary Care, East Sussex

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.

This comprehensive announced inspection was carried out on 10 and 11 January 2017.

There were a number of areas where record keeping was not effective, for example, organisational quality assurance systems were in place but the systems for following up on shortfalls were not effective. The service was moving to a new system for storage of staff recruitment records so a number of documents were held at the head office. These areas were highlighted as areas to improve.

The manager and staff had a good understanding of their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The person was supported to make a range of choices and decisions on a daily basis and when more complex decisions were required their family members assisted them. An advocate had been used in relation to supporting the person’s choice of accommodation and in assisting them with communication generally.

Staff had a good understanding of the person as an individual, their needs and interests. The person was supported to attend their day centre and to attend activities of their choice.

Whilst we only looked at how the organisation supported people with personal care, documentation provided a holistic assessment of the person’s needs, including what they could do for themselves and the support given to them to live their lives. The support plan clearly stated the aspects of personal care that were to be provided. Where risks were identified risk assessments had been carried out to minimise the risks of accidents occurring.

All staff completed basic training and more specialist training was provided for staff on various aspects of autism and how to support people with specific needs. There was a thorough induction to the service and staff felt confident to meet people’s needs before they worked independently with them. Staff received regular supervision and support from management which made them feel valued. Staff spoke positively about the way the service was managed and the open style of management.

The person told us that staff looked after them well. They said, 'I decide what I want to do each day. I like to have staff with me so that I can feel safe.' We spoke with the person's relatives who said, 'She always has the support she needs. The service is excellent.'

We observed that staff ensured that consent was obtained prior to providing care and support. We found that the support plan in place was detailed and documented the needs of the person and how they should be met.

There were safe systems in place for the management of medication. Staff received training to enable them to fulfil their individual roles and responsibilities and they were provided with regular support. There were detailed systems to ensure that the quality of care provided was monitored and reviewed on a regular basis.

We examined a range of documents and spoke with relatives of people using the service, care staff and the manager.

The agency provided personal care for one person in a supported living environment. We looked at their care plan and found that the person using the service and their relatives were involved in decisions about the support provided. The relatives told us that the agency offered appropriate support and care.

We looked at staff files and the training and supervision records. Staff told us they received training and supervision that helped them provide the support the person using the service needed and wanted.

There were a number of systems in place to review the quality of service provided by Autism Sussex Limited DCA. Questionnaires were used to capture how relatives and people felt about the service, and there were regular meetings with the person to ensure the service was meeting their needs.