Archived: All Seasons Community Support LLP

Updated 20 September 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection took place on 08 and 09 August 2017 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we wanted to make sure we were able to speak with people who use the service and the staff who support them. The inspection was carried out by two inspectors and two experts by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before the inspection the provider completed a Provider Information Return. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We sent a questionnaire to people using the service, their relatives and staff and reviewed their responses. We reviewed information we held about the service. We looked at notifications received by the Care Quality Commission. Notifications are information we receive from the service when a significant event happens, like a death or a serious injury.

We went to the office and reviewed people’s records and a variety of documents. These included ten people’s care plans, visit records and risk assessments, four staff recruitment files, the staff induction records, training and supervision schedules, staff rotas, medicines records and quality assurance surveys. We spoke with the registered manager, head of care, quality assurance manager, coordinators and care staff.

We visited and talked with four people in their own homes. We also spoke with 34 people by telephone to ask their views of the quality of service delivered by All Seasons Community Support LLP.

We last inspected All Seasons Community Support LLP in August 2016 when a number of breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 were identified. The service was rated Requires Improvement.

Updated 20 September 2017

All Seasons Community Support LLP provides a domiciliary and support service and is part of a community interest (not for profit) company. The agency provides services in the Kent area. The service has a designated office in Margate and operates an on-call system outside office hours. All Seasons Community Support LLP provides care and support for periods of 30 minutes to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Their Mission statement is, ‘To help people to remain in their own homes, living independently for as long as possible with comfort and dignity, by assisting those who need help due to disability, frailty or illness’. At the time of the inspection All Seasons Community Support LLP were providing care and support to over 500 people.

There was a registered manager employed at the service. 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 responsible for the day to day control of the service. They were supported by a head of care, quality assurance manager, area managers, co-ordinators, team leaders, human resources and an administration team.

At the last inspection in August 2016 three requirement notices were served. The provider sent the Care Quality Commission an action plan to address the shortfalls, with a timescale to become complaint with the regulations. At this inspection the breaches found at the last inspection had been met.

People were protected from the risks of abuse and discrimination. Staff were knowledgeable about the risks of abuse and understood the process for reporting any concerns. When concerns had been raised these were reported in line with guidance to the relevant authorities.

Risks to people were identified, assessed, monitored and reviewed. Risk assessments were in place to give staff the guidance on how to reduce risks to people. These were regularly reviewed and updated as required.

There was sufficient staff on duty to make sure people received consistent care. Staff had permanent rotas which were co-ordinated geographically, to reduce the travel time and help people receive their call at the requested time. People told us the staff usually arrived on time and stayed the duration of the call.

Staff were recruited safely with the necessary checks being carried out to make sure they were suitable to work at the service. New staff received an induction and shadowed experienced staff before they started to work on their own. Staff received support through one to one supervision meetings, staff meetings and competency spot checks. Staff received appropriate training to be able to perform their role and have the skills and competencies to meet people’s needs.

Some people took their medicines independently with no involvement from staff. Other people did need prompting or support and guidance from staff to take their medicines as prescribed by their doctor. Staff were trained to support people with their medicines and senior staff checked they were competent to do so.

People told us that the staff asked for their consent before providing their care. Staff had received training on the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005. The MCA provides the legal framework to assess people’s capacity to make certain decisions, at a certain time. People were supported to make decisions and when required best interest meetings involving the person, relatives and health care professionals were held.

People’s dietary needs were assessed and staff supported people with their meals and left drinks and snacks for people to eat later when needed.

People told us the staff supported them with their health care needs. Records showed that when required, staff contacted the relevant health care professional such as doctors and community nurses.

People told us the staff knew them well and that they were kind and caring. Staff were able to tell us about people’s preferences and personal histories. Staff spoke about people in a kind and compassionate way. People were involved in the planning and reviewing of their care and support.

People told us that staff treated them with dignity and respect. Staff spoke with us about how they promoted and maintained people’s dignity when they supported them. People’s confidentiality was respected and records were stored securely in the office. People told us that the care staff were discreet and did not discuss other clients with them.

Care plans centred on the individual person and provided staff with important information and guidance to make sure they supported people in the way they preferred. People told us they received support from regular ‘core’ carers.

People and their relatives told us they knew how to complain. A copy of the provider’s complaints process was in each person’s home. When a complaint was received it was investigated and responded to appropriately. People, relatives, staff and health professionals were given the opportunity to provide feedback to the service.

The registered manager led by example. They had oversight of the day to day running of the service and used concerns and complaints as a learning exercise to make improvements. There was an open culture which was promoted by the staff.

There were systems in place to gather people’s views, including regular reviews and quality surveys. Staff told us they felt valued by the organisation. Regular quality audits were completed to assess, monitor and improve the quality of the service provided.