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Archived: Somerset Care Community (Sedgemoor)

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Bath Bridge House, Bath Road, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 4SZ (01278) 426903

Provided and run by:
Somerset Care Limited

Important: This service was previously registered at a different address - see old profile

Latest inspection summary

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Background to this inspection

Updated 10 September 2016

This inspection was announced and took place on 11, 12, 13 and 14 July 2016. We gave the provider short notice of the inspection as we needed to make sure we were able to meet with key staff, access records and gain permission from people who used the agency to telephone them.

The last inspection of the service was carried out on 18 May 2015. At this last inspection a shortage of staff at all levels had impacted on the service’s ability to provide a safe service. At this inspection there had been key appointments made at management level. Recruitment of planners, supervisors and care staff had also been successful. Some vacancies remained and the service continued to pursue targeted recruitment to areas where staff were short. The recruitment of staff was pro-active and professional with a variety of initiatives being used to attract and retain staff.

Somerset Care Sedgemoor provides personal care and support to people living in their own homes. At the time of this inspection this large agency was providing support with personal care to approximately 550 people in Somerset. The area covered by the agency extended from Porlock to Burnham and Cheddar and included towns, villages and widespread rural areas.

There was no registered manager in post. 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.There had been effective interim management arrangements in place. An experienced and enthusiastic manager had taken up post two weeks before the inspection and their registration process with us had commenced. Further time was needed to embed the new structure of the service and to complete planned improvements.

This was a very large service and most people and their relatives were very complimentary about the quality of the service provided and of the management and staff team. Whilst the majority of the people felt safe and comfortable with the way staff supported them they did not always feel the service was delivering a service that was fully responsive to their needs and preferences. Improvements were still required in this area. There were two recurrent themes that had an impact on how satisfied people felt. These were the timing of visits and the continuity of care. This meant having a team of regular staff who knew them well.

People did feel they were cared for by kind and understanding staff. There was a wealth of evidence to show people found staff helpful and supportive. People valued their relationships with the staff team and felt they would help them in any way they could. People told us “Staff are lovely”, “Staff are kind and caring”. “Nothing is too much trouble”. “They couldn’t do anything better”. “They are marvellous. I don’t know what I would do without them.” “They are always cheerful” “They have been absolutely wonderful.”

Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse and all said they were confident that any issues raised would be appropriately addressed by the managers. People felt safe with the staff who supported them. Where allegations or concerns had been bought to a care manager’s attention they had worked in partnership with relevant authorities to make sure issues were fully investigated and people were protected.

Care was planned and delivered in a way that was personalised to each person. Staff monitored people’s healthcare needs and supported them when they were unwell or had health emergencies. Where changes in needs were identified, care was adjusted to make sure people continued to receive care which met their needs and supported their independence.

New staff received a thorough introduction when they began work and there was a system of training and up-dating staff so they maintained and developed thei

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 10 September 2016

This inspection was announced and took place on 11, 12, 13 and 14 July 2016. We gave the provider short notice of the inspection as we needed to make sure we were able to meet with key staff, access records and gain permission from people who used the agency to telephone them.

The last inspection of the service was carried out on 18 May 2015. At this last inspection a shortage of staff at all levels had impacted on the service’s ability to provide a safe service. At this inspection there had been key appointments made at management level. Recruitment of planners, supervisors and care staff had also been successful. Some vacancies remained and the service continued to pursue targeted recruitment to areas where staff were short. The recruitment of staff was pro-active and professional with a variety of initiatives being used to attract and retain staff.

Somerset Care Sedgemoor provides personal care and support to people living in their own homes. At the time of this inspection this large agency was providing support with personal care to approximately 550 people in Somerset. The area covered by the agency extended from Porlock to Burnham and Cheddar and included towns, villages and widespread rural areas.

There was no registered manager in post. 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.There had been effective interim management arrangements in place. An experienced and enthusiastic manager had taken up post two weeks before the inspection and their registration process with us had commenced. Further time was needed to embed the new structure of the service and to complete planned improvements.

This was a very large service and most people and their relatives were very complimentary about the quality of the service provided and of the management and staff team. Whilst the majority of the people felt safe and comfortable with the way staff supported them they did not always feel the service was delivering a service that was fully responsive to their needs and preferences. Improvements were still required in this area. There were two recurrent themes that had an impact on how satisfied people felt. These were the timing of visits and the continuity of care. This meant having a team of regular staff who knew them well.

People did feel they were cared for by kind and understanding staff. There was a wealth of evidence to show people found staff helpful and supportive. People valued their relationships with the staff team and felt they would help them in any way they could. People told us “Staff are lovely”, “Staff are kind and caring”. “Nothing is too much trouble”. “They couldn’t do anything better”. “They are marvellous. I don’t know what I would do without them.” “They are always cheerful” “They have been absolutely wonderful.”

Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse and all said they were confident that any issues raised would be appropriately addressed by the manager. People felt safe with the staff who supported them. Where allegations or concerns had been bought to a care manager’s attention they had worked in partnership with relevant authorities to make sure issues were fully investigated and people were protected.

Care was planned and delivered in a way that was personalised to each person. Staff monitored people’s healthcare needs and supported them when they were unwell or had health emergencies. Where changes in needs were identified, care was adjusted to make sure people continued to receive care which met their needs and supported their independence.

New staff received a thorough introduction when they began work and there was a system of training and up-dating staff so they maintained and developed their skills.

There were systems in place for people using the service and staff to make suggestions or complaints about the service. When people made complaints most of them were satisfied with the action taken by the service.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and plan on-going improvements.