The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: Somerset Care Community (West Somerset)

Overall: Requires improvement read more about inspection ratings

Unit C, 37-41 Alcombe Road, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 6BA

Provided and run by:
Somerset Care Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile
Important: This service is now registered at a different address - see new profile

All Inspections

9 December 2014

During a routine inspection

We carried out an announced inspection of Somerset Care Community (West Somerset) that began on 9 December 2014.

The service has 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. At our last inspection on 11th December 2013 the service was meeting the regulations.

Somerset Care Community provides personal care services to people in their own homes. At the time of the inspection 227 were receiving personal care. Some people also received support with shopping and cleaning. These activities are not regulated by us and form no part of the inspection.

People were kept safe and free from harm however there were not always appropriate numbers of staff employed to meet people’s needs and provide a flexible service. Staff sickness and unplanned absences meant that at times calls were late. People were also sometimes asked if they were able to manage without a call which had been planned. A significant number of people told us they had experienced problems with late calls or missed visits.

People’s risks were well managed by assessments of risk being undertaken and information provided to reduce the risks.

Staff knew people they were supporting most of the time and provided a personalised service planned to meet their needs. Apart from one instance care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported and involved in making decisions about their care. When people had regular staff they looked forward to them coming to their homes.

Staff received regular training and were knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities. People told us staff had the skills, knowledge and experience required to provide effective care. .

People were supported to eat and drink when this was part of their support plan. Staff liaised with GPs and other healthcare professionals as required to meet people’s needs. They responded to people’s health problems and requested appropriate assistance from other health professionals.

The registered manager was accessible and approachable. Staff, people who used the service and relatives felt able to speak with the manager and provided feedback on the service.

The service had a quality assurance programme developed and implemented by the provider. The system was based around “themed conversations” with people and staff and was completed on a quarterly basis. Planning of care and out of hours support had been identified as areas to be improved by the re-organisation but this had not been achieved yet.

Feedback from people and relatives during the inspection indicated that the provider had not been able to take enough steps to resolve the issues regarding irregular carers, late and missed calls to people.

11 December 2013

During a routine inspection

This was a routine inspection of the agency. We visited and spoke with two service users and one relative. An Expert by Experience carried out telephone interviews with seven service users, one partner and a family friend. We spoke with staff at the service office and a member of care staff on the telephone. We used information provided by the service following the inspection visit. During the day of the inspection we reviewed care and support records for 20 people and the recruitment and employment records for four staff.

People told us about their experiences with the care and support provided to them. One person said 'Very good, works very well, very happy.' Another told us 'Wonderful service, staff extremely polite.' We heard how staff always asked what people wanted and were flexible to change. Most people we spoke with felt the care provided was personalised and met their specific needs. All felt their privacy, dignity and independence were respected, and carers acted in a professional manner.

Comments about people's experiences with staff included, 'They are quick and efficient. They give you your dignity, never take anything for granted or speak to you like you have one foot in the grave,' 'I have no complaints whatsoever. I think I have the pick of the bunch and couldn't get anyone better.' Another told us, 'I'm here all the time so know what's needed, but I can trust all of them like family.'

We found the provider had suitable systems in place for staff to support people with their food and nutrition and manage the control of infection. The service was run from suitable premises with the necessary space and equipment. There was a robust recruitment process which ensured appropriate staff were employed to work with vulnerable people.

4 February 2013

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out this unannounced inspection visit to follow up concerns identified in December 2012. This had centred on information received about support provided to one individual. During the inspection visit in December 2012 we identified two areas of concerns, one was regarding the provision of support and we made a compliance action for this. The other was in regard to the poor record keeping where we issued a warning notice to the provider to improve its practices.

During this inspection visit we spoke to two staff including the registered manager at the service office. We looked at the care records for this individual and we sampled care records for three other people in receipt of support. We did not speak to people who use the service on this occasion.

Somerset Care at Home provided support to people across a wide geographical area from Minehead as far as Porlock and Williton. At the time of the inspection visit 350 people were in receipt of varying levels of support and there were 120 care workers employed. The service is divided into four areas, each with a community team leader, senior care workers and care workers allocated to provide support.

We found the service compliant in the two areas we previously highlighted needing improvements, care and welfare of people who use the service and records.

20 December 2012

During an inspection in response to concerns

This was a responsive review carried out because of information received about possible poor support provided to one individual. The Care Quality Commission(CQC) was alerted to concerns about this individual by the police. We used information from the police, social services and the service as part of this inspection. We spoke to three staff including the registered manager at the service office. We looked at the care records for this individual and we sampled care records for three other people in receipt of support. We did not speak to people who use the service on this occasion.

Somerset Care at Home provides support to people across a wide geographical area from Minehead as far as Porlock and Williton. At the time of the inspection visit 350 people were in receipt of varying levels of support and there were 120 care workers employed. The service is divided into four areas, each with a community team leader, senior care workers and care workers allocated to provide support.

We found the service was non compliant in two areas, the care and welfare of people who use the service and records.

19 June 2012

During a routine inspection

We visited the service office over a two day period where we reviewed records and spoke with eight staff including the registered manager. We contacted seven people who used the service or their relatives following the visit to the service.

We were informed that the service provided support to people across a wide geographical area from Minehead as far as Porlock and Williton. At the time of the inspection visit 350 people were in receipt of varying levels of support and there were 120 care workers employed. We were told that the staffing and the service provision was divided into groups relevant to locations, each with its own team leader. We were told that they had commenced a pilot service since October 2011 to provide a specialist person centred care package, called Petals, to provide specific support to people with memory loss or symptoms associated with dementia.

People told us that the staff from the service helped them with the most basic support such as prompting them with daily living skills, and reminding them to take their pills to full assistance like personal care and hoisting out of bed.

People said when they described the support they had, 'very good', 'wouldn't be alive without them,' and 'invaluable service.' Another person used the words 'exceptionally well' about how the service was going.

People told us that they felt safe and supported by the service. They expressed that they were confident to speak to staff or the service office if they had any concerns and would obtain the support they needed should it be required. Where people had made a complaint they told us that they had usually experienced prompt responses and actions had been put into place when they raised concerns about the services provided.