Mencap West Sussex Domiciliary Care is a service that provides support to people who require assistance with personal care. The service specialises in supporting younger adults with a learning disability and associated conditions, such as epilepsy, who live in their own homes.

Not everyone using the service received the regulated activity. CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care. This includes tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

The service also provides support to people living in shared accommodation, referred to as supported living services. At the time of the inspection, the service was providing support to 23 people.

We inspected the service on the 13 September 2018 and the inspection was announced. We gave the provided 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the location provides a domiciliary care service. This was to make sure there would be someone available in the office to facilitate our inspection.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence, or information, from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Systems remained in place to protect people from abuse and staff received training in their responsibilities to safeguard people. Risks relating to people's care were reduced as the provider assessed and managed risks effectively.

People's medicines were managed safely by staff. People were supported by staff who had been assessed as suitable to work with them. Staff had been trained effectively to have the right skills and knowledge to be able to meet people's assessed needs. Staff were supported through observations, supervisions and appraisals to help them understand their role and ensure continuous personal development. The provider had ensured that there were enough staff to care for people.

People continued to receive care in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and staff received training on the Act to help them understand their responsibilities in relation to it. Staff considered people’s capacity using the MCA and people’s capacity to make decisions had been carefully assessed. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff remained kind and caring and had developed good relationships with people. Relatives told us their family members were cared for by staff and that they were comfortable in staff’s presence. One relative told us, “They all do their best for him. They know him. They’ve brought his character out and he’s always smiling.” Another relative told us about staff, “I would give them a platinum star.” Relatives confirmed staff were caring and looked after people well. People were provided with the care, support and equipment they needed to stay independent

in their homes.

People’s needs continued to be assessed and person-centred care plans were developed, to identify what care and support was required. One relative told us, “She’s happy and the family and I am happy with the staff. She’s having a nice time because the staff are making her life good.”

People were encouraged to live healthy lives and received food of their choice. People received support with their day to day healthcare needs.

People were informed of how to complain and the provider responded to complaints appropriately. The provider communicated openly with people and staff. Staff worked closely with professionals such as speech and language therapists, behavioural specialists and GP’s.

Quality assurance and information gover

This service provides support to people who require help with personal care. They specialise in supporting younger adults with a learning disability and associated conditions who live in their own homes. Most of the people supported by the service lived in shared accommodation referred to as supported living services. There were 24 people using the service at the time of our inspection.

We inspected this service on 14 December 2015 and the inspection was announced. This was to make sure there would be someone available in the office to facilitate our inspection. This was the first inspection since the registration of the service at the current adress in June 2014. Previous to this the service had been registered at a different adress.

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. The

registered manager oversaw the running of the service and was supported by service managers who were allocated a geographical area to manage. Service managers were also responsible for individual parts of the service.For example individual supported living services at which the staff worked.

Staff understood how to protect people from abuse and were responsive to their needs. One relative commented “I think (person’s name) is extremely safe and secure.” People were protected against the risk of abuse, checks were made to confirm staff were of good character to work with people. There were sufficient staff to meet people's diverse needs and people were supported to take their medicine as prescribed.

Risk assessments and support plans had been developed with the involvement of people and their representatives. Staff had the relevant information on how to minimise identified risks to ensure people were supported in a safe way. Staff understood people’s needs and abilities and knew people well. A relative told us “I’m very satisfied with the staff and the care. They are a nice bunch and extremely kind.”

Staff were provided with training to support the people they worked with. A member of staff told us “The training provided is very good, I really enjoyed it.” In relation to staff development theregistered manager told us “We look at people’s potential, how they can develop, what they need to do and how it fits in with Mencaps' values.”

The provider understood their responsibility to comply with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff knew about people’s individual capacity to make decisions and supported people to make their own decisions. People’s needs and preferences were met when they were supported with their dietary needs and people were supported to maintain good health.

The delivery of care was tailored to meet people’s individual needs and preferences. One person told us “I am very well supported by the staff.” The provider actively sought and included people and their representatives in the planning of care. There were processes in place for people to express their views and opinions about the service provided.

People spoke highly of the management.  One relative told us “I have found (Registered manager’s name) is very supportive.” There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service to enable the registered manager and provider to drive improvement.