Sedgemoor Care Home is registered to provided accommodation and personal care for up to 30 people. At the time of the inspection 30 people were living at the service. Sedgemoor provides accommodation, personal care and therapies on a short-term basis to help people regain their independence and return to their own homes (reablement). The people living at the home have both physical and psychological support and care needs. The Home is owned and run by Liverpool City Council.At the last inspection, the service was rated Good.
At this inspection we found the service remained Good.
Why the service is rated Good.
At our last inspection in January 2015 we found that some staff had not received formal supervision in over 12 months. The service was found to be in breach of regulation in relation to staffing. During this inspection we checked staff records and spoke with people to ensure that they had sufficient access to supervision and support. We saw that each person had a supervision schedule for 2017 and had completed an annual appraisal within the last 12 months. The service was no longer in breach of regulation.
The people living at Sedgemoor and their relatives spoke positively about the safety of the service.
We saw that people were protected from the risk of abuse or harm because staff knew people well and were vigilant in monitoring risk.
Staff had been trained in adult safeguarding and knew what action to take if they suspected abuse or neglect. Each of the staff that we spoke with was clear about their responsibilities to report concerns inside and outside the service. Posters promoting safeguarding and whistleblowing were displayed throughout the service.
Medicines were safely managed within the service by trained staff and in accordance with best-practice guidance for care homes. We checked the storage, administration and record-keeping for medicines on two out of the three units and found that stock levels were correct and records were completed correctly.
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 a varied and healthy diet in accordance with their preferences and healthcare needs. People’s nutritional and fluid intake was monitored where there was an identified risk or health need.
We saw from care records that staff supported people to access a range of community based healthcare services on a regular basis. Some people were also supported to access specialist healthcare services to improve their independence and support them to return to their homes.
People were extremely complimentary about the caring attitude of the staff. It was clear from our observations and discussions that staff knew people well and tailored the provision of care and support to meet individual needs. We saw that staff took time to discuss matters with people and confirm their understanding. The language and approach used by staff was gentle and caring. The people living at Sedgemoor were clearly relaxed and responded very positively to the communication and engagement of the staff team.
People’s right to privacy and dignity were supported by staff in the provision of care and support. Personal care was given in locked bathrooms or people’s own en-suite facilities. A member of staff told us, “Dignity comes with independence.”
People and their families spoke extremely positively about the quality of the service and the impact that it had on their lives. People were clear that they had been involved in the assessment and care planning process and were kept well informed as they progressed in their recovery.
People’s progress was reviewed on a weekly basis at a multi-disciplinary team meeting. The meeting was attended by a range of external health and social care professionals as well as representatives from Sedgemoor. We saw clear evidence in care records that people had made significant progress since arriving at Sedgemoor and the vast majority had been successfully supported to return to their homes.
The service continued to work very effectively with local commissioners and provided services in a flexible manner to meet emerging needs. This was done in conjunction with a local GP, pharmacist, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. The healthcare professionals that we spoke with provided very positive feedback regarding the response of staff, the completion of activities and therapies and the impact of the service on people.
A registered manager was in post, but was not available on the day of the inspection. People living at Sedgemoor, their relatives and staff spoke positively about the quality of communication and the general management of the service.
The provider encouraged people and their families to provide feedback through a range of formal and informal mechanisms. They issued exit surveys. Of the surveys that we saw for 2017, 94% of the responses where at the highest (very good) rating.
The staff that we spoke with were motivated to provide high quality care and understood what was expected of them. They spoke with enthusiasm about the people that they supported and their job roles. Each of the staff were positive about the support and quality of care offered by the service.
The registered manager had sufficient systems and resources available to them to monitor quality and drive improvement. Quality and safety audits were completed on a regular basis. Important information was captured and used to produce reports. These reports were shared with senior managers throughout the organisation and used at a local level to monitor and drive improvement. Additional audits were completed by the quality assurance team and through contract compliance visits.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.