Voyage (DCA) Solihull and Birmingham maintained its Good rating across all five key questions at the February 2018 inspection, demonstrating safe, person-centred supported living for 23 people with complex needs. Minor issues around staff consistency and management visibility were already being addressed through planned structural changes including new field support supervisor roles.
Concerns (3)
minor
Staffing levels
: “Staff told us they had given feedback in a staff survey, to say they needed better co-ordination between the office and support workers and had asked for management to be more visible.”
minorPerson-centred care: “A relative said, 'There were too many changes of staff, always different names, always changing. [Name] doesn't like change. They like to know who is coming.'”
minorRecord keeping: “There was a plan for support workers to attend training in writing effective records.”
Strengths
· People were protected from risks of abuse; support workers received safeguarding training and understood reporting responsibilities.
· Medicines were managed and administered safely with weekly checks by team leaders and retraining for errors.
· Support workers were recruited safely with all required pre-employment checks completed before independent working.
· Care plans were person-centred, regularly reviewed, and included communication profiles, dietary needs, cultural and religious preferences.
· People were supported to live independently with community access, budgeting support, and person-led activity planning.
Voyage (DCA) Solihull and Birmingham was rated Good across all five key questions at its October 2015 inspection, demonstrating consistent, person-centred care for eight people with learning disabilities supported in their own homes and supported living. Minor shortfalls in care record completion and historic medication errors had been identified and addressed through the provider's own audit processes.
Concerns (2)
moderateMedication management: “There had been some medicine errors at the service previously and the registered manager told us these had been identified in their audits and they had 'reset standards'”
minorRecord keeping: “audit of a care plan in October 2015 which highlighted that some dates were missing on care records and support workers had not always recorded choices offered to people”
Strengths
· Consistent staffing with people receiving care from familiar support workers who knew their individual needs and preferences
· Robust safeguarding awareness with staff trained to recognise and report abuse and referrals made appropriately to the local authority
· Strong person-centred care approach including 'One page profiles', relationship maps, pictorial aids, and involvement of people and families in care planning and reviews
· Effective staff training programme including Care Certificate induction, mandatory training with competency checks, and specialist training tailored to individual needs
· Accessible and approachable management team with on-call rota, monthly team meetings, and responsive complaints handling