Dumfries Supported Living
Housing Support Service
15 Fraser Court
Mannering Avenue
Dumfries
DG2 0GZ
Telephone: 01387 721432
Type of inspection: Unannounced
Inspection completed on: 16 February 2017
Service provided by:
Voyage 1 Limited
Care service number:
CS2004082190
Service provider number:
SP2004005660
Inspection report
About the service
The service has been registered since 2004.
Dumfries Supported Living is registered to provide Housing Support and Care at Home services. Owned by
Voyage 1 Limited it has been supporting people who have learning disabilities, autism, head and spinal injuries
and other complex disabilities for over 20 years.
Their Statement of Aims and Objectives states:
'We aim to provide high quality, good value services, responsive to the needs and aspirations of individuals and
enable people to take part in community life with the full rights and responsibilities of citizenship and to live
independently with personalised care and support'.
The service comprises two separate residential units of independent living homes in Dumfries. Fraser Court
accommodates thirteen service users while Lincluden Court accommodates nine. At the time of inspection there
were 21 people using the service.
What people told us
Comments in questionnaires completed by family/carer on behalf of the service user;
"She knows she has a key team and will sit in on these meetings. There are also reviews where she can tell us
what's working and not working".
"....(name) feels that the staff are friendly towards her and feel that she has their full attention when supported.
She said that she is able to talk freely about any issues that may be raised".
"...(name) informed me that she is quite happy with the level of support she receives".
"The support plan is geared to ...(name's) needs".
"There are regular meeting with the Power of Attorney who is kept updated at all times".
"....(name) has limited opportunity for full independence but what is offered keeps him as independent as
possible".
"...(name) is well supported and cared for".
"Family and Power of Attorney are able to discuss any issues with care staff. They are supportive and
understanding to any request which if achievable is undertaken".
"Everything staff need to know is in the support plan. A key worker meeting is held every month to discuss
upcoming events".
"...(name) chooses what he wants to wear, what time to get up and what to eat. He also helps with housework
and making lunch and dinner".
"...(name) gets on well with the staff who support him. He can joke around with staff and often goes out on days
trips".
"All staff know his support plan and any new member of staff will shadow an experienced member of staff who
will guide them through how to support ...(name)".
"...(name) is involved in the monthly key worker meetings".
Service user's comments included;
"My care plan has all the information about me which is useful when new staff members start working".
"Recently there has been a lot of new starts".
"I get help with my personal hygiene and medication".
Inspection report for Dumfries Supported Living
page 2 of 11
Inspection report
"I really like the new staff".
"Staff were very good when I slipped on ice and they took me to the hospital".
"I like to go to church every Sunday".
"I have had lots of holidays with staff support like Blackpool, London and Paris!"
"I like to go to the pub. I went to Belfast on holiday which was good".
"I have been here one and a half years and settled in well. I help with staff interviews which I really enjoy".
"Staff are supporting me to set up an email and I will now get my planner sent to me".
"I get support to go to the Queens games which I really enjoy".
Self assessment
The Care Inspectorate received a fully completed self-assessment from the provider.
The provider told us what they did well and areas where they felt they could do better.
From this inspection we graded this service as:
Quality of care and support
Quality of staffing
Quality of management and leadership
5 - Very Good
5 - Very Good
4 - Good
Quality of care and support
Findings from the inspection
People were at the heart of the care and support they received which was unique to their individual care needs,
and preferences. The support promoted people to have as much choice and control of their life as possible, while
keeping them safe and protected.
Support plans clearly detailed the support the person received in a person centred way, while considering any
restrictions in place.
It was evident by speaking with service users, staff and looking at records, that there were often complex
challenges faced when offering choice considering there may be legal restrictions or powers in place that restrict
or limit individual's choices and freedoms. We found that the service responded to these challenges sensitively,
honestly and openly with the individual.
People spoke positively of the support they received from staff and were happy that they had a named staff
member (key worker) and a key staff team. People received support from a consistent, core team of staff who
knew them well and they had built up very good trusting relationships. Service users were fully involved in
monthly key team meetings which enabled them to directly influence their care and support. People spoke
positively of the care and support and told us;
"When out and about, although supported, she feels that she is able to control where she goes and how her
time is spent".
"Having my own independence is very important to me".
Inspection report for Dumfries Supported Living
page 3 of 11
Inspection report
"I have been here a year and my key worker has helped me through a lot".
"Staff helped me get my lunch today. They also help me with my medication".
"I went on holiday to Belfast which was great!"
The service were enabling individuals to enjoy a healthy life including a high standard of living, healthcare and
support to maintain contact with their family. Outcomes had improved for one service user by being supported to
eat a healthy diet, exercise and lose weight. They were very proud of this and not only had this improved their
physical health, but it was clear that this had increased their confidence and self-esteem, They told us "I have
been going to weight watchers and I have lost 2 stone 1 pound!"
The service need to ensure they meet with individuals, their key team and other partners at least every six
months.
The way in which staff communicate with each other when changing shifts could be improved. This is referred to
as a "handover" period and we have asked the service to consider how they can make this more effective.
(Recommendation 1)
The service should ensure that throughout support plans, it is evident that all sections have been reviewed, even
if these remain unchanged.
Requirements
Number of requirements: 0
Recommendations
Number of recommendations: 1
1. The service should develop and implement a more formal approach to the handover period for staff. This
should support effective communication between staff, specific to the individual service users they will be
supporting.
National care standards, Care at home - Standard 4, Management and staffing.
Grade: 5 - very good
Quality of staffing
Findings from the inspection
We saw a significant improvement since the last inspection in staffing levels which had promoted positive
outcomes for service users. Each service user had a core team of staff and key team meetings had now started
which ensured the individual was fully involved in their care and support.
Outcomes had improved for service users from having a full complement of staff now that their support was
provided in a much more person centred and flexible way. We saw that support for people varied from day to day,
and week to week and staff support was planned around individual needs to accommodate this.
Inspection report for Dumfries Supported Living
page 4 of 11
Inspection report
Routine support systems for staff, such as supervision, had also improved since the last inspection, which
enabled them to have the opportunity to discuss their practice and development needs.
Staff were also given the opportunity to meet together as a team through regular team meetings. They were
encouraged to raise any issues they wished to discuss and we saw evidence of good participation by those
attending.
We observed staff to support service users in a sensitive, kind and respectful manner. We considered a major
strength of the service to be the clear enthusiasm, motivation and competence of the staff team. They genuinely
cared for the people they supported and were committed to supporting them to achieve their personal
outcomes. Service users and family were very happy with the support from staff and told us;
"Staff are great! I have a key worker and get on well with her. I usually have the same staff supporting me and I
am happy with them".
"....(name) is able to communicate with staff, sometimes when she feels low she knows that she can speak to
staff".
"He enjoys working with staff and they look after him to a high standard".
"Staff treat me well - like an adult".
From looking at records and speaking with staff, there were two areas for improvement we have asked the
service to consider in relation to the training provided. They must firstly consider how they can identify and plan
training to meet individual service user needs, and secondly the effectiveness of e-learning. We have made a
recommendation about this under Quality of management and leadership.
Requirements
Number of requirements: 0
Recommendations
Number of recommendations: 0
Grade: 5 - very good
Quality of management and leadership
Findings from the inspection
A new manager had been appointed since the last inspection and along with the existing deputy manager and
senior team, there was a significant improvement in the quality of the management of the service.
Staff, service users and other professionals spoke positively of the management team and told us of
improvements in communication and consultation.
There were various ways in which the service could see what was working well and where they needed to do
things better, or perhaps differently. A new peer to peer audit had recently been carried out which we thought
captured areas of good practice and improvement very well. This ensured that important areas were monitored
such as medication, finances and care plans for example. The areas for improvement from the audit were
Inspection report for Dumfries Supported Living
page 5 of 11
Inspection report
consistent with our findings during this inspection, however we are confident that these will be responded to
through a comprehensive action plan that had been developed.
There was a clear culture to enabling service users to be involved, and to directly influence the quality of the
service they received. For example, through informal daily support, care reviews, house meetings, and
questionnaire's.
Service users were involved in interviewing prospective staff which gave them the chance to meet them and
comment on who they think is the best person for the job. Being part of this process also gave service users a
real sense of ownership and confidence, and one service user was very proud to tell us how they had been
involved in choosing their support staff.
The service should improve the procedure for accidents and incidents. All incidents were held in one file which
made it difficult to see those relevant to specific service users, and to pick any patterns or trends. Some incidents
were not signed off on completion or contained details of any further action taken. The service should consider
how incidents can be monitored more effectively at a local level and that there is a clear auditable trail.
(Recommendation 1)
We have discussed how outcomes could be improved for service users and staff through an individualised
approach to training, and the method of training to ensure this is meaningful and appropriate to the subject.
(See recommendation 2)
Requirements
Number of requirements: 0
Recommendations
Number of recommendations: 2
1. The service provider should put a formal system and procedure in place for recording all accidents and
incidents. The system must enable effective recording, monitoring and evaluation of all accidents and incidents
and any follow up actions taken as a result.
National care standards, Care at home - Standard 4, Management and staffing.
2. The service provider should develop a training matrix that is clearly influenced by individual service user's
healthcare and support needs. The method of training must consider the subject, and evaluate staff learning
from this to apply in practice.
National care standards, Care at home - Standard 4, Management and staffing.
Grade: 4 - good
Inspection report for Dumfries Supported Living
page 6 of 11
Inspection report
What the service has done to meet any requirements we made at
or since the last inspection
Previous requirements
Requirement 1
The service must ensure that there are sufficient staff on duty at all times and locations to safely and
appropriately care for and support service users including the support of development and outcomes-focussed
activity.
SSI 2011/210 15 Staffing 15.
A provider must, having regard to the size and nature of the care service, the statement of aims and objectives
and the number and needs of service users:
(a) ensure that at all times suitably qualified and competent persons are working in the care service in such
numbers as are appropriate for the health, welfare and safety of service users;
This requirement was made on 18 January 2016.
Action taken on previous requirement
The service had now resolved previous recruitment problems and now had a full compliment of staff in place.
This had improved outcomes for service users by them receiving support from consistent staff who knew their
needs well. From daily planners we could see that service user's individual needs and choices were taken into
account when planning support to enable them to take part in activities of their choice.
Met - within timescales
Requirement 2
The service must address the long-term vacancy of the position of Service Manager as a matter of urgency
ensuring that a Service Manager and Deputy Manager are in place, thus returning to a continuous and
permanent management of the service.
SSI 2011/210 17 Appointment of manager
17. (1) A provider who:(a)is not an individual; must appoint an individual to be the manager of the care service.
This requirement was made on 18 January 2016.
Action taken on previous requirement
A new Manager had now been in post for a year and this was spoken in positive terms by service users, staff and
other partners.
Met - within timescales
Inspection report for Dumfries Supported Living
page 7 of 11
Inspection report
What the service has done to meet any recommendations we
made at or since the last inspection
Previous recommendations
Recommendation 1
The service should ensure that only essential completion of documents and administration tasks are carried out
within service user's homes and that support time is protected. The service should consider ways of facilitating
alternative arrangements to ensure that this is done.
NCS 9 Care at Home - Private Life
This recommendation was made on 18 January 2016.
Action taken on previous recommendation
We saw that only essential documents, such as daily notes were completed in service user's homes. Any other
administrative tasks were carried out in the office, outwith individual service user's support times.
This recommendation has been: Met.
Recommendation 2
The service should ensure that staff and team meetings are conducted in a manner which encourages staff
participation and that this is recorded in subsequent minutes.
NCS 4 Care at Home - Management and Staffing
This recommendation was made on 18 January 2016.
Action taken on previous recommendation
Team meetings were held regularly and staff were encouraged to contribute to the agenda and discussions
during meetings.
This recommendation has been: Met.
Complaints
There have been no complaints upheld since the last inspection. Details of any older upheld complaints are
published at www.careinspectorate.com.
Inspection report for Dumfries Supported Living
page 8 of 11
Inspection report
Enforcement
No enforcement action has been taken against this care service since the last inspection.
Inspection and grading history
Date
Type
Gradings
8 Dec 2015
Unannounced
Care and support
Environment
Staffing
Management and leadership
4 - Good
Not assessed
3 - Adequate
3 - Adequate
12 Feb 2015
Announced (short notice)
Care and support
Environment
Staffing
Management and leadership
4 - Good
Not assessed
3 - Adequate
3 - Adequate
9 Jan 2014
Unannounced
Care and support
Environment
Staffing
Management and leadership
3 - Adequate
Not assessed
3 - Adequate
3 - Adequate
11 Oct 2012
Unannounced
Care and support
Environment
Staffing
Management and leadership
2 - Weak
Not assessed
2 - Weak
2 - Weak
29 Jul 2011
Unannounced
Care and support
Environment
Staffing
Management and leadership
3 - Adequate
Not assessed
4 - Good
3 - Adequate
27 Aug 2010
Announced
Care and support
Environment
Staffing
Management and leadership
2 - Weak
Not assessed
2 - Weak
2 - Weak
9 Aug 2010
Re-grade
Care and support
Environment
1 - Unsatisfactory
Not assessed
Inspection report for Dumfries Supported Living
page 9 of 11
Inspection report
Date
Type
Gradings
Staffing
Management and leadership
2 - Weak
2 - Weak
7 Dec 2009
Announced
Care and support
Environment
Staffing
Management and leadership
4 - Good
Not assessed
3 - Adequate
Not assessed
30 Jan 2009
Announced
Care and support
Environment
Staffing
Management and leadership
4 - Good
Not assessed
5 - Very good
4 - Good
Inspection report for Dumfries Supported Living
page 10 of 11
Inspection report
To find out more
This inspection report is published by the Care Inspectorate. You can download this report and others from our
website.
Care services in Scotland cannot operate unless they are registered with the Care Inspectorate. We inspect, award
grades and help services to improve. We also investigate complaints about care services and can take action
when things aren't good enough.
Please get in touch with us if you would like more information or have any concerns about a care service.
You can also read more about our work online at www.careinspectorate.com
Contact us
Care Inspectorate
Compass House
11 Riverside Drive
Dundee
DD1 4NY
[email protected]
0345 600 9527
Find us on Facebook
Twitter: @careinspect
Other languages and formats
This report is available in other languages and formats on request.
Tha am foillseachadh seo ri fhaighinn ann an cruthannan is cànain eile ma nithear iarrtas.
Inspection report for Dumfries Supported Living
page 11 of 11