PCAS Kent Ltd

PCAS Kent Ltd is a supported living service. A supported living service provides individuals with personal care and support to enable them to live as independently as possible in their own homes or shared accommodation. At the time of this assessment there were 29 people receiving support with ‘personal care’: help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Not everyone using the service receives the regulated activity of personal care. Where they do, we also take into account any wider social care provided. We did not review people’s care and support who did not receive personal care.

This service is registered to support people with physical disabilities, autistic people and people with a learning disability. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ (RSRCRC) is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it. We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture (RSRCRC)’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

At the last assessment, we identified breaches of 6 regulations in relation to providing people with person centred care, safeguarding, safe care and treatment, need for consent, staffing and good governance. The service was placed into special measures.

At this assessment we found the provider was no longer in breach of any regulations and is therefore no longer in special measures. Improvements had been made across the whole service. The provider and staff had worked hard to embed improvements and learn lessons from the previous assessment. Some work was still ongoing to develop risk assessments, care plans and mental capacity assessments and the provider was in the process of providing training and support to achieve this.

People received care and support from regular team of care staff. There were sufficient staff deployed to support people.

People were safeguarded from abuse. People were supported to access healthcare services, maintain their health and wellbeing. Staff were trained to support people effectively. Staff followed infection prevention and control procedures. Incidents and accidents were reported and reviewed and lessons learned from them.

People and relatives were involved in assessments, reviews and decisions about their care. Care and support plans detailed people's individual needs, and how these would be met. Staff supported people in a way that promoted their independence, choice and control.

The provider had systems in place to monitor quality and safety, including audits of care records, medicines, incidents and complaints. Leaders were approachable, and most staff felt well supported through supervision, training and ongoing development opportunities.