Archived: Community Wessex - East

Updated 28 August 2015

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 of Community Wessex East took place on 22, 23, 24 and 26 June 2015 and was announced. One inspector undertook the inspection. We spent time at the provider’s office talking with staff and looking at records. We also visited people in their own homes and spoke with people at a local drop in service.

There were 175 people receiving a service from Community Wessex East at the time of the inspection and we talked to 11 people to learn about their experience of receiving support from Community Wessex - East. We also spoke with four relatives, 15 members of staff including the manager and three health and social care professionals.

During our inspection we reviewed the care records of two people that used the service in full, and looked at and sampled aspects of 18 other records including support plans, specific support guidance, medication records, communication records, incidents documents and risk assessments. In addition we reviewed recruitment and supervision records for four staff and records relating to the management of the service including meeting minutes, audits, and other quality assurance documents.

Before the inspection visit we reviewed the information we held about the service, including the Provider Information Return (PIR) which the provider completed before the inspection. The PIR 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 also reviewed information we had received since the last inspection including information from the local authority.

Updated 28 August 2015

This announced inspection, which took place on 22, 23, 24 and 26 June 2015, was the first inspection of the service. We told the provider two days before the inspection that we would be visiting. The service is registered to provide personal care. At the time of the inspection the service was providing support to 175 people in their own homes. Some people received 24 hour support; others had fewer hours, dependent on their assessed need and level of independence.

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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Staff had received safeguarding training and understood what to do if they were concerned or worried about somebody. They had access to out of hour’s services if the need should arise. This meant they were able to gain help and advice whenever they needed to including when the office was closed. Assessments of risks were undertaken and plans were in place to manage these risks.

People told us their staff were skilled and responsive. We saw a thorough induction process, including shadowing more experienced support workers that supported new staff to understand their role. There was ongoing training, and support for all staff to make sure they understood how to safely and effectively care for or support people. One individual described the support they received as, “The lynchpin of my life, they put the package in around the person, its working really well and I am getting what I need”. Another person said, “It’s a jewel in the crown, it’s an absolute lifeline”.

Community Wessex - East ensured staff understood and acted in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 including the deprivation of liberty safeguards. This ensured people were asked for their consent before support workers provided care or support, and where people did not have mental capacity to consent to care or treatment staff acted in their best interests. People told us they had been included in planning how care and treatment was provided. People told us that they made decisions about their lives, and we saw how support staff worked with people to make sure they were following people’s choices.

Staff knew the people they were supporting well and supported individuals to maintain their independence as much as possible. There was thoughtful matching of people and support workers to ensure they had shared hobbies, skills and interests. People were involved in the selection of support workers and could choose who they wanted to be part of their support team.

A significant number of people, relatives and professionals told us about recent issues within the service around short notice cancellations or changes of support workers that caused people distress. The manager had identified this and taken a number of actions to address the problems.

The service was well led. Staff told us the management team listened to any suggestions or concerns and were available for advice and guidance. There were robust systems in place to ensure they knew they were offering a safe, effective, caring and responsive service.