SeaShell (Epping Forest & Harlow)

Updated 23 September 2022

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 30 August 2022 and ended on 06 September 2022. We visited the office on 31 August 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since registering. We sought feedback from health professionals. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

During the inspection we spoke with two people and three relatives. We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager and nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We also received feedback from two health professionals.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people's support plans. We reviewed three staff records in relation to training and supervision and a variety of records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 23 September 2022

About the service

SeaShell (Epping Forest & Harlow) provides personal care and support to people who require assistance in their own home. At the time of our inspection nine people were being supported by the service. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

We received positive feedback on the service. One person said, ‘‘The registered manager is very kind and considerate and the staff always go above and beyond for us.’’

Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that ensured people's safety and welfare. People were cared for and supported by staff who had received appropriate training. There were systems in place to minimise the risk of infection. There were safe medicine procedures for staff to follow.

Staff had a good understanding of people’s preference of care, staff promoted people’s independence.

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

People were supported to eat and drink enough to ensure they maintained a balanced diet. People and their relatives were involved in the planning and review of their care. The registered manager had effective policies to respond to complaints and these were handled well.

The provider had monitoring systems in place to ensure they provided good care, and these were kept under regular review.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

The service was registered with us on 02 July 2021 and this is their first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection because the service had not been inspected or rated.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.