What life is like for people using this service:

Improvements had been made to the service since our previous inspection to address concerns. The risks associated with late visits had been acted on. Care was delivered at the times people requested it.

The provider supported staff in providing effective care for people through person-centred care planning, training and supervision. They ensured the provision of best practice guidance and support met people’s individual needs.

People participated in a range of activities that met their individual choices and preferences. Staff understood the importance of this for people and provided the structured support people required. This enabled people to achieve positive outcomes and promoted a good quality of life.

The registered manager and the scheme manager had acted on concerns and complaints received by the service.

More information in Detailed Findings below.

Rating at last inspection:

Good (Published 24 June 2016)

About the service:

Sevacare (UK) Limited provides personal care services for people living in their own homes and in four extra care housing schemes in Portsmouth. Sevacare (UK) Limited manages these five registered locations as their “Portsmouth Branch”. Caroline Square is an extra care housing scheme. The management of the building and facilities is not the responsibility of Sevacare (UK) Limited. The building contains self-contained flats with some shared facilities. Sevacare (UK) Limited has an office in the building from which they manage their service. At the time of our inspection 35 people received personal care and support services from Sevacare (UK) at Caroline Square.

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. We found improvements had been made since our last inspection and the service has met the characteristics of Good in all areas. The overall rating is Good.

The inspection took place on 3 February 2016. We gave notice of our intention to visit Caroline Square to make sure people we needed to speak with were available.

Sevacare (UK) Limited provides personal care services for people living in their own homes and in four extra care housing schemes in Portsmouth. Sevacare (UK) Limited manages these five registered locations as their “Portsmouth Branch”. Caroline Square is an extra care housing scheme. The management of the building and facilities is not the responsibility of Sevacare (UK) Limited. The building contains self-contained flats with some shared facilities. Sevacare (UK) Limited has an office in the building from which they manage their service. At the time of our inspection 35 people received personal care and support services from Sevacare (UK) at Caroline Square.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

The provider made sure staff knew about the risks of abuse and avoidable harm and had suitable processes in place if staff needed to report concerns. The provider had procedures in place to identify, assess, manage and reduce other risks to people’s health and wellbeing. There were enough staff to support people safely according to their needs. Recruitment procedures were in place to make sure staff were suitable to work in a care setting. Procedures and processes were in place to make sure medicines were handled safely.

Staff received regular training, supervision and appraisal designed to help them obtain and maintain the skills and knowledge required to support people according to their needs. Arrangements were in place to obtain and record people’s consent to their care and support.

Staff were able to develop caring relationships with people. They respected their independence, privacy and dignity when supporting people with their personal care.

The provider’s assessment, care planning and reporting systems were designed to make sure people received care and support that met their needs and was delivered according to their preferences and wishes. Some people were dissatisfied with the scope and quality of their care and support. People knew how to make a complaint if they had concerns, and complaints were logged, investigated and followed up.

People and their care workers described an open, supportive, caring culture. This was maintained by effective management systems and procedures to monitor and improve the quality of service provided.

We made a recommendation concerning use of the care planning and review process to address people’s dissatisfaction with their care.