Seaham View

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• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

People had comprehensive needs assessments which were reviewed regularly to ensure they remained current. Assessments informed support plans and risk assessments giving staff details of how to support people in-line with their needs, wishes and preferences. Planning included how to support people with distressed behaviours in-line with best practice guidance. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and asked for consent before giving support. People’s mental capacity was assessed, and support plans were in place explaining how staff should support people with decision making. When people lacked capacity to make decisions themselves, best interests processes were followed so that decisions could be made on their behalf.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People’s care needs were assessed, and they were involved in planning their care. Relatives or advocates were also involved in care planning and reviews of care. One relative told us, “I am always told if the staff team feel there needs to be a review of their [family member’s] support needs and we will discuss the best way forward”.

Staff told us there were effective systems in place to assess and monitor people's needs. Staff told us there was an ongoing process of assessment and support planning with the person’s wishes and interests central to this. One staff member told us, “Each individual has a person-centred support plan in place, and it is written how to support each individual best. Goal planners are implemented with the individual and keyworkers.”

Systems were in place to ensure people’s care and support needs were met. People had comprehensive assessments, support plans and risk assessments written involving people and their relatives. Assessments and support plans covered a range of physical and emotional needs such as mobility, nutrition, communication, and emotional wellbeing. Care plans included specialist advice and guidance where relevant.

People receive care, treatment and support that was evidence-based and in line with good practice standards. We observed that people were offered choices around their daily support. People told us they enjoyed the food on offer. One person told us, 'The food is lovely here, I like it all and you can choose what you want.' A relative told us their family member was given support manage their diet.

Staff confirmed they had the skills and knowledge to carry out their roles effectively. They completed a range of training and kept up to date with good practice guidance through supervision and team meetings. The manager and registered manager attended meetings to share learning with other managers across the organisation.

Support plans contained evidence of the involvement of a wide range of external professionals. Advice on best practice was followed to ensure people received effective care. There was guidance around people’s nutritional needs and people’s diets were appropriately monitored. Processes were in place (such as meetings, supervisions, and incident de-briefs) to support staff knowledge and skills and to share best practice guidance.

We did not look at How staff, teams and services work together during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

We did not look at Supporting people to live healthier lives during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

We did not look at Monitoring and improving outcomes during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

People were supported to have the maximum choice and control over their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests. Staff asked for people's consent about their support. People were given choices, and their decisions were respected.

Staff told us they delivered person-centred care that respected people’s rights around consent. Staff told us how they used communication tools and gave people simple choices, to help them be able to give their consent. Where people could not give consent, staff understood who to involve to make decisions in people’s best interests.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) provides a legal framework for making particular decisions on behalf of people who may lack the mental capacity to do so for themselves. The MCA requires that, as far as possible, people make their own decisions and are helped to do so when needed. When they lack mental capacity to take particular decisions, any made on their behalf must be in their best interests and as least restrictive as possible. People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment when this is in their best interests and legally authorised under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA). In care homes, and some hospitals, this is usually through MCA application procedures called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The service was working within the principles of the MCA and, if needed, appropriate legal authorisations were in place to deprive a person of their liberty. Records about people’s level of capacity and ability to consent were in place, and documented how decisions were made to support people in the least restrictive way. Where people were unable to give consent, best interest decisions had been made and recorded. These decisions involved relatives and other relevant people, such as professionals.