Seaside Care Services

Updated 10 May 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 was carried out by two inspectors.

Service and service type

This service provides personal care to people living in their own self-contained flats, all flats are in one building which also houses the main office for the care agency. This service provides care and support to people living in eighteen 'supported living' settings, so that they can live as independently as possible. People's care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people's personal care and support.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection

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 21 March 2022 and ended on 28 March 2022. We visited the location’s office on 22 March 2022.

What we did before the inspection

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 reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke to four members of staff including the provider, a senior care worker and two care workers. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people's care plans, medicine records, safeguarding and accident and incident reports. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

After the inspection we continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data, staff rotas and the company's business continuity plan. We spoke with two people who used the service, two relatives, two professionals and the registered manager. The registered manager had been on leave at the time of the office visit.

Updated 10 May 2022

About the service

Seaside Care Services is a supported living service providing care and support for up to 18 adults living with a range of physical and mental health conditions. People using the service lived in self-contained flats, five on the ground floor and 13 on the first and second floor. There were 16 people living at the service at the time of the inspection, four of whom were in receipt of personal care. These four people all lived on the ground floor.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. 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

People told us they felt safe. Staff had completed safeguarding training and told us the steps they would take if the felt a person was at risk. Risk assessments tailored to people’s needs were in place covering for example, diabetes, epilepsy and differing behaviours. The service had enough, suitably trained staff to support people. Staff were recruited safely and underwent a robust induction process. Medicines were stored, administered, recorded and disposed of safely. Infection prevention and control was managed well and the registered manager shared learning from accidents and incidents with all staff.

The service used a key worker system and staff got to know the people they supported well. Some people were supported with their nutrition and hydration needs but most were able to shop and prepare food independently or with minimal support. 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. Staff understood and applied, getting consent from people before any interaction.

People and their relatives and loved ones told us that staff were caring and treated them with respect and dignity. A relative told us, “This turned out to be a great move.” People’s privacy was respected and their independence encouraged without compromising their safety.

Care was provided in a person-centred way and people's wellbeing was supported. Staff were available to help people meet health and social care appointments if needed but the majority of people were either independent or supported by the families or loved ones. Similarly, most people were able to verbally communicate but processes were in place to help some people. Staff knew people well and were able to understand signs and gestures from people to allow communication. A complaints policy was in place and was readily accessible. Few complaints had been made but they all been dealt with in a timely way. No one at the service was in receipt of end of life care.

The registered manager was popular with people and staff and was accessible and approachable. Business plans were in place and a robust system of auditing took place. People and staff were encouraged to provide feedback about the service which was then analysed by the registered manager and provider to understand trends and issues arising.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for the service under the previous provider was good, published on 19 December 2019.

Why we inspected

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

This was the first inspection for this service, registered with a new provider.

Follow up

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