What life is like for people using this service:

People who received support in their own homes or a supported living house and their relatives told us they felt safe and protected in the care of Creative Support staff.

People who lived in supported housing and in the community, 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. We found the management team had obtained each person’s consent to care, or their representatives where this was applicable.

Staff responsible for assisting people with their medicines had received training to ensure they had the competency and skills required.

Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of harm to people during the delivery of their care. These had been kept under review and were relevant to the care provided.

Care plan information focused on a person-centred method of supporting people. Also, information contained what support was required to maintain their independence within their own home and in supported living houses.

During the inspection visit to supported living houses we observed staff being kind and attentive to people in their care. They were caring, patient and respectful. One relative commented, “They are great and caring towards everyone.”

People supported by the service told us they were treated with respect and by caring staff.

People told us and staff confirmed to us there were enough staff on duty to ensure people received care in a timely way. In addition, sufficient staff were deployed so that people had opportunity to access a wide range of activities including access to the local community settings.

The management team used a variety of methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service. These included staff meetings, spot checks and surveys to seek people’s views about the service provided.

There was a complaints procedure which was made available to people and their family when they commenced using the service. People we spoke with told us they were happy with the support they received.

More information is in Detailed Findings below.

Rating at last inspection:

Good (report published 16 May 2016).

About the service:

Creative Support provides care and support services for people with learning disabilities and other complex needs. The service is involved in providing community and outreach Support and supported housing. The domiciliary agency office is based close to the town centre in Blackpool. The agency cares for adults with learning disabilities in supported houses and outreach support for people living alone or with families. The agency supports people in Fleetwood, Cleveleys and Blackpool. The service provides care and support varying from short visits to 24 hours a day support. At The time of the inspection visit the service supported 59 people in supported houses and in their own homes.

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. The service remained rated good overall.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme or if any issues or concerns are identified.

This inspection visit took place at Creative Support - Blackpool Service (Learning Disabilities) on 19 and 22 March 2016 and was announced. We told the registered manager 48 hours’ before our visit that we would be coming. We did this to ensure we had access to the main office and the management team were available.

Creative Support provides care and support services for people with learning disabilities and other complex needs. The service is involved in providing, Community & Outreach Support and supported housing.

The domiciliary agency office is based close to the town centre in Blackpool. The agency cares for adults with learning disabilities in supported houses and outreach support for people living alone or with families. The agency supports people in Fleetwood, Cleveleys and Blackpool. The service provides care and support varying from short visits to 24 hours a day support.

There was a registered manager in place. 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.

Staff had a good knowledge of how to support people and keep them safe. They were aware of how to raise concerns about poor practice or abuse should they need to. We saw staff received frequent and relevant training.

There were sufficient competent and experienced staff supporting people on the outreach service and in the supported houses. They provided a flexible service which met people’s needs.

Staff recruitment was safe and robust so that risks of employing unsuitable people were reduced. Staff told us their recruitment was thorough and they had to wait for all required checks before they could start working for the service.

People told us staff were caring and supportive. One person said, “The staff have made a difference to me. We go to the gym and other places and have fun. I was fed up before.” Another person said, I am happy with the support I get and I think it has really improved my life.” We saw staff were, respectful, patient and caring towards people. They were careful to protect people’s privacy and dignity.

Staff supported people in a person centred way. Care plans were in place detailing how people preferred to be supported. Relatives and people supported by Creative Support Blackpool said they were involved in making decisions about their care. Relatives told us they were also kept involved where appropriate.

People were provided with support and encouragement to develop new skills and interests including work, social and leisure activities.

Medicines procedures were followed. We saw medicines were managed safely and given as prescribed.

Staff made sure people’s dietary and fluid intake was sufficient for good nutrition and encouraged healthy eating.

People we spoke with told us they knew how to raise a concern or to make a complaint. They said when they had told staff of any concerns they listened to them and took action to improve things.

There were procedures in place to monitor the quality of the service. The registered manager sought people’s views in a variety of ways and dealt with any issues of quality quickly and appropriately.

There was a transparent and open culture that encouraged people to express any ideas or concerns. People and their relatives felt their needs and wishes were listened to and acted on. One person told us, “I feel comfortable in speaking up and have completed a survey for CQC [Care Quality Commission] ”

We were invited to visit four people who lived together in one house (supported living) who were being supported and assisted by the agency. Each person living in the house communicated in different ways, such as verbally, signs, sounds and body language, and were enabled to communicate by the use of pictorial cards and photographs. There were plans to show how people were to be supported to be as independent as possible. A relative of a person who used the service said, "The staff are very helpful, and have always treated my relative in a positive and nice way. The staff listen, and do their best to try and understand what my relative wants to do, and what they're interested in." Another relative said, "The staff are great. My relative doesn't communicate using their voice, but uses signs and other body language to communicate their needs. The staff understand this, and always involve my relative in the decision making process. If they are unsure about what my relative is trying to say, they check and double check to make sure they have got it right. My relative is totally involved in making decisions about their life. It's great to see."

Evidence was available to demonstrate that the manager and senior staff at other houses completed audits and monitoring reports, and this information detailed things such as training completed, complaints, safeguarding incidents, accidents, staff supervision and client reviews.

One person who used the service said that the staff were very helpful, and had always treated them in a nice way. “The staff listen to me, and ask me what I want to do. They help me to do the things that I like, and understand that sometimes I need help.”

One person told us how they felt about the way they were supported by the service. “Staff are very good. I have had some problems in my life, and the staff from Creative Support have listened to me, offered help and supported me to get a better flat and some new furniture. I have a plan for the way I get my money, and the staff help me to budget. It’s working well.”

We talked with one person who used the service and they said they felt safe when the staff were around. They said they felt confident that the service would help and support them if there was an issue relating to their personal safety. They showed that they understood who they needed to report issues to, and why.

In order to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of the people who used the service we found that the management team had robust systems in place to ensure that only suitably qualified, skilled and experienced people provided care and support.

Information held at the service’s offices showed that the management team had systems in place to identify, analyse and review risks. Information about quality and safety was gathered and monitored to identify risks and areas for improvement.

People told us they had discussed their needs with representatives of the agency and they had agreed to the support to be provided.

We spoke to people about their experiences being supported by the agency. They told us their support workers provided flexible personal care and support and they felt well cared for. We were told their support workers had the skills necessary to ensure people they support were treated with respect and dignity.

We were told that support workers supported people in a variety of ways and settings. For example supporting people to attend the baking group held weekly at the agency's drop in services. "Staff take me to the disco to see my friends. We go out all the time".

People supported by the scheme told us they had no concerns about the care being provided and felt safe and protected from potential harm. A person said they had been involved in the safeguarding event held by the agency and they understood the process. They said that they had been involved in the safeguarding month and dignity champion day and said, "I know about it. It's about staff telling me about being safe. We got leaflets and we had a day at the centre".

A family member told us that their relative had access to local health services and that staff thought creatively about how they supported their relative to access treatment. They said, "I know he has a local doctor, regular chiropody and dental care".

A family member told us that their relative was respected and that staff understood their individual ways of communicating with them and said, "Staff know him and they are use to him and his ways. He has his own way of telling staff what he wants. He uses body language and gestures. I can see he is happy as he doesn't get upset when I leave".