Archived: Seagulls Home Care Ltd

At our last inspection on 26 July 2016 we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

People were protected from avoidable harm. Staff knew how to recognise the potential signs of abuse and what action to take to keep people safe. People told us they felt safe and knew who to contact if they had any concerns. The registered manager continued to ensure there was enough staff to support people safely and they followed safe recruitment processes.

People continued to receive their medicines safely and on time and staff were trained in administering medicines. People knew what their medication was for and told us they felt reassured by the support with their medicines. People were protected by the prevention and control of infection and staff wore gloves and aprons when supporting people.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were supported to maintain their health and had support to access health care services when they needed to. One person told us, “Carers would help call a doctor if I needed one.” People were supported to maintain a balanced diet.

People continued to receive kind and compassionate care. People told us staff were kind and caring. One person told us, “The carers show concern over you which is nice and I like that.” We saw positive interaction between staff and people. One person told us, “I like the security of being able to stay in my own home and being cared for.”

People continued to receive personalised care that was responsive to their needs. One person told us “The carers know my history and my needs are documented in my support plan.” People and relatives knew how to make a complaint and told us they felt listened to and had confidence that the manager and staff would take action.

People and staff spoke positively about the culture of Seagulls Home Care. There were clear lines of accountability and the provider continued to have effective quality assurance processes in place. People told us they thought the service was well managed.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

Seagulls Home Care Ltd provides domiciliary care and support for people in their own home. The service had recently started to provide personal care, help, and support to older people. At the time of our inspection two people were receiving a care service.

The service had a registered manager. 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.

A person and a relative told us they felt safe and staff were kind and the care they received was good. The relative told us “I know my relative knows who is coming and feels safe using them”.

There were good systems and processes in place to keep people safe. Assessments of risk had been undertaken and there were instructions for staff on what action to take in order to mitigate them. Staff knew how to recognise the potential signs of abuse and what action to take to keep people safe. The registered manager made sure there was enough staff at all times to meet people’s needs. When the registered manager employed new staff at the service they followed safe recruitment practices.

The registered manager had arrangements in place for the safe administration of medicines. People were supported to receive their medicine when they needed it. People were supported to maintain good health and had assistance to access health care services when needed.

The service considered peoples capacity using the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) as guidance. People’s capacity to make decisions had been assessed. Staff observed the key principles in their day to day work checking with people that they were happy for them to undertake care tasks before they proceeded. One member of staff told us “Before we do anything we ask permission from a person. It is their home, their life and they have choices. One person I see I will hold up clothes so they can choose what they want to wear that day”.

Staff had the skills and knowledge to meet people’s needs. Staff had received an induction and training to ensure they had up to date information to undertake their roles and responsibilities. One member of staff told us “We have had lots of training, which has included safeguarding adults and moving and handling. It has been all very good”.

A person and as relative told us staff were kind and caring. The person told us “I have a good relationship with them. Yes they are caring”. People confirmed staff respected their privacy and dignity. Staff had a very good understanding of respecting people within their own home and providing them with choice and control. The service had identified people’s needs and preferences in order to plan and deliver their care.

People were able to be supported at mealtimes to access food and drink of their choice if they required. Food preparation at mealtimes for the people using the service was completed by family members or themselves and staff ensured meals and drinks were accessible to people.

There were clear lines of accountability. The service had good leadership and direction from the registered manager and deputy manager. Staff felt fully supported by management to undertake their roles. Staff were given training updates, supervision and development opportunities. One member of staff told us “Yes we are fully supported. It’s good and we can talk to the registered manager and deputy manager when we need to. The deputy manager is one step ahead with everything, she is good”.

Management monitored the quality of the service by the use of regular checks and internal quality audits to drive improvement. People and relatives we spoke with were aware of how to make a complaint and felt they would have no problem raising any issues. A person told us “The manager is very good when it all started. They have a nice style and knowledgeable”.