The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: SCA Care (East Hampshire)

22a Picton House, Hussar Court, Westside View, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 7SQ (023) 9224 1555

Provided and run by:
SCA Care

All Inspections

25 July and 19 August 2013

During a routine inspection

As part of the inspection process 61 questionnaires were sent out to service users of SCA Care East Hampshire. Each service user was also sent an additional questionnaire to give to a relative, friend or advocate for completion. A total of 31 questionnaires were returned. Overall service users and relatives/friends seemed very satisfied with the service being provided by SCA Care East Hampshire. The responses indicated that people were happy with the service provided and comments included. 'The agency have provided a regular team of approx. six care workers who are all brilliant and one is exceptional' and 'All my carers are friendly, thorough and thoughtful'.

As part of our inspection we also used an Expert by Experience to obtain the views of people who used the service. The expert spoke with three people who used the agency and 17 relatives. People were generally happy with the care and support the agency provided. People told us that that the staff who supported them were normally punctual and stayed the correct length of time. They said staff were friendly, cheerful and treated them with dignity and respect.

One person told us. 'I have regular carers who support me and they are very good'. Other comments from people included: ' My carer is marvellous' and 'I have a team of approximately six care workers who are all brilliant'. However one person told us 'I have asked staff to put a hoover through my dad's bedroom and do a bit of dusting.. they say I'm allergic to dust but I know it is part of their duties'.

We received anonymous information from one member of staff who told us that staff were bullied and were not supported by management. However we found no evidence to support this. We spoke with 20 members of staff and they all told us they were well supported by SCA Care (East Hampshire). They told us training was good and they were provided with the information they needed to support people effectively. Two of the 20 people we spoke with told us that communication could be improved.

10 January 2013

During a routine inspection

We telephoned two people who used the service and spoke to three family members of other service users. Everyone we spoke to said they were happy with their regular care workers and gave us positive feedback about them. People told us their regular care worker knew their needs well and how they liked things to be done. A family member said about their relatives care workers "they are always very gentle when they wash and dress him."

All the people we spoke to said that the agency arranged a replacement care worker when their regular care worker was away. None of the people we spoke to, or their friends and families, said that they had ever had any concerns about the treatment they received from care workers.

A service user who had received home from hospital services told us that their care services were "100% satisfactory." We asked a member of a service user's family about the service their relative received and they told us "we're quite happy with it."

We found that the agency considered people's individual needs and circumstances when providing care. We also found that the agency had policies and procedures in place to quality assure the services they provide to people. The staff we spoke to at the agency reported that they felt supported by the management team. However, we found that work was still needed in some areas of supporting staff.

17 April 2012

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an inspection in November 2011 as part of our routine schedule of planned reviews. We identified concerns with standards 4 care and welfare, 7 safeguarding and 12, recruitment of staff. We made improvement and compliance actions asking the provider to take action in order that we were reassured that people were in receipt of safe and adequate care with regard to standards 4, 7 and 12.

On this occasion we spoke with 11 people who use the service and 13 staff. People told us that they had regular staff visit them, they were usually on time or they made contact with people to say they were running late. One person said 'they ask me what I need and give me care with respect'. Relatives told us that they felt staff were very caring, honest and used their initiative.

Staff told us that they received regular training and support from the provider and were encouraged to use their initiative.

3 November 2011

During an inspection in response to concerns

Staff said that people had the equipment they needed to make sure they were safe. "I have not enjoyed working for a company so much as I do this one, I get regular training and having the out of hours service to contact now is good".

Care records had information to make sure people received consistent care as they had agreed. People were generally more than happy with the service received and said they felt able to speak with anyone who works for SCA if there was a problem. People's records were held securely.