22 April 2016
During a routine inspection
Longmans Extra Care Scheme provides 24 hour care and support for up to 15 people in one bedroom flats. The Extra Care Scheme is managed and maintained by South Essex Homes on behalf of Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. The care and support is provided by Mears Homecare Limited.
The service did not have a registered manager in post. At the time of the inspection the service was being overseen by an interim manager who was already registered with the Care Quality Commission at another of the provider’s extra care schemes. A team leader was in post at the service and they were primarily responsible for the day-to-day running of the service. The interim manager confirmed that steps were in place by the registered provider to appoint a permanent manager to the service but they were awaiting a final decision. 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.
Staff had a good understanding and knowledge of safeguarding procedures and were clear about the actions they would take to protect the people they supported. Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were appropriately assessed and managed to ensure their safety.
There were sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people’s needs. Appropriate recruitment checks were in place which helped to protect people and ensure staff were suitable to work at the service. Staff told us that they felt well supported in their role and were supervised at regular intervals.
Support plans were sufficiently detailed and provided an accurate description of people’s care and support needs. People were supported to maintain good healthcare and had access to a range of healthcare services. The service’s arrangements for the management of medicines ensured that people received their medication as they should.
Staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff demonstrated how to apply the principles of this legislation to their everyday practice and to help ensure that peoples’ rights were protected.
People were supported to be able to eat and drink satisfactory amounts to meet their nutritional and hydration needs.
People were treated with kindness and respected by staff. Staff understood people’s needs and provided care and support accordingly. Staff had a good relationship and rapport with the people they supported. People told us that they were treated with respect and dignity and where appropriate people were supported to maintain their independence.
An effective system was available to respond to complaints and concerns. The provider’s quality assurance arrangements were appropriate to ensure that they strived towards and provided a high quality service.