We inspected this service on 26 September 2018.

Creative Support Ainscough Brook is an Extra Care scheme.

This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is [bought] [or] [rented], and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.

People lived in their own apartments which were accessible via a communal main entrance. There were some communal areas to each floor and a large lounge to the ground floor of the building.

At the time of our inspection there were nine people receiving support in their own apartments from Creative Support.

At the last inspection in September 2015, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Risk assessments were detailed and specific, and contained a good descriptive account for staff to follow, to enable them to minimise the risk of harm occurring to people who lived at the scheme. We saw there were detailed protocols in place around people for when their behaviour escalated and placed them in harm’s way.

There was enough staff employed by the service to help people with their day to day support needs.

There were systems and processes in place to ensure that people who lived at the scheme were safeguarded from abuse. This included training for staff which highlighted the different types of abuse and how to raise concerns within the infrastructure of the organisation. Staff we spoke with confirmed they knew how to raise concerns.

There was a process for analysing incidents, accidents and general near misses to determine what could be improved within the service provision. Some information was not always recorded, which we raised at the time with the registered manager.

There was personal protective equipment (PPE) available within the scheme, such as gloves, aprons and hand sanitiser.

Medication was well managed and only administered by staff who had the correct training to enable them to do this. Medication was stored securely within people’s own apartments.

The service was operating in accordance with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and consent was sought in line with people’s best interests. People’s mental health needs were assessed appropriately, and people were treated with equality and diversity which was evidenced in the outcomes of their support. Consent was also sought and clearly documented in line with legislation and guidance.

Staff had the correct training to enable them to support people safely. Staff said they were up-to-date with the training they were required by the organisation to undertake for the job and training records confirmed this. Staff engaged in regular supervision with their line managers, and had annual appraisals.

People were supported to make their own meals.

There was access to other medical professionals who often visited the scheme and were involved with people, and regular meetings with external healthcare professionals took place when needed.

People were treated as individuals, and their choices and preferences were respected by staff. Staff also described how the ensured they protected people’s dignity when providing personal care. Staff spoke with people and about them with warmth and sensitivity.

There was a complaints process in place which we were able to view as part of our inspection. There were no on-going complaints and there had been no complaints since our last inspection.

Staff undertook training to enable them to respectfully care for someone who was at the end of their life.

People’s support plans were person centred and contained a high level of detail about the person, their likes, dislikes, how they want

Creative Support – Ainscough Brook is a domiciliary care service located in Preston. The service operates from the sheltered housing scheme Ainscough Brook and provides personal care for up to 12 of the people who live at the scheme. At the time of the inspection there were seven people who used the service.  

The inspection took place on 15 September 2015. We gave the provider 24 hours notice of our intention to inspect the service to ensure there would be someone available at the service’s office to provide us with the necessary information.

This was the first inspection of the service since it was registered with the Care Quality Commission in March 2014.

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 was not available during this inspection as they were taking a period of extended leave. However, we were assisted throughout the inspection by an acting manager, team leader and a regional manager.

We spoke with people who used the service, some relatives, staff and community professionals during the inspection. The feedback we received from people was very positive. People expressed satisfaction with all aspects of the service provided and spoke highly of staff and managers. People who used the service told us they were treated with compassion and kindness and that their privacy and dignity were respected.

There were effective systems in place to assess and manage risks to people’s health, safety and wellbeing. Staff were fully aware of personal risks people’s faced for instance, in relation to their health or mobility, and the measures they should take to support people safely. Environmental risk assessments were carried out to ensure people’s accommodation was safe and secure. However, these assessments did not cover people’s life line pendants, used in the case of an emergency. This was discussed with the acting manager who agreed to implement a system which included regular checking of the pendants.

Staff were fully aware of their responsibilities to safeguard people they supported from abuse. Staff were able to speak confidently about their role in safeguarding people and told us they were confident managers would support them if they raised any concerns.

The service worked well with community health care professionals to help ensure people received effective health care. People who required assistance to take their medicines were provided with safe support.

People’s care plans reflected their individual needs and personal wishes. People told us they were involved in the development of their care plans and were enabled to express their views on an ongoing basis.

Staffing levels were carefully assessed and regularly reviewed. This helped to ensure people received a consistent and reliable service.

Staff at the service were carefully recruited and were required to undergo a number of background checks prior to starting their employment. This helped to ensure only people with the correct skills and of suitable character were employed.

There was a comprehensive training programme in place for staff. This helped ensure that staff had the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out their roles in a safe and effective manner.

There were systems in place which enabled the acting manager and provider to monitor the quality and safety of the service on an ongoing basis so that any areas for improvement could be promptly identified and actioned.

The service had undergone some changes to the management team. People had been kept informed of the changes and were satisfied with the interim arrangements. People described the management team as supportive and approachable and were satisfied with the leadership of the service.