Archived: Sevacare - Portsmouth

Updated 23 June 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, looked at the overall quality of the service, and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection took place on 2 February 2016. We inspected four of Sevacare (UK)’s five registered locations in Portsmouth in the same week. We gave the registered manager 48 hours’ notice of our visit to make sure people we needed to speak with would be available. Two inspectors carried out the inspection.

Before the inspection, we reviewed previous inspection reports and other information we had about the service, including information from staff and people who used the service, and notifications provider had sent to us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.

After the visit on 2 February 2016 we spoke with 20 people who used the service and their family members. We spoke with the registered manager, the provider’s regional director, and six members of staff.

We looked at care plans and associated records of six people. We reviewed other records relating to the management of the service, including risk assessments, quality survey and audit records, management reports, training records, policies, procedures, meeting minutes, and five staff records.

Updated 23 June 2016

The inspection took place on 2 February 2016. We gave notice of our intention to visit Sevacare - Portsmouth 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”. At the time of our inspection 103 people received personal care and support in their own homes managed from Sevacare (UK)’s office at 103 Portsmouth Technopole.

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 resulted in people receiving care and support that met their needs and was delivered according to their preferences and wishes. People knew how to make a complaint if they had any concerns. 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.