The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: Active Assistance - Sevenoaks

3rd Floor, 1 Suffolk Way, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 1YL (01732) 779353

Provided and run by:
Staff Management Limited

Important: This service is now registered at a different address - see new profile

All Inspections

22 August 2013

During a routine inspection

On the day of our inspection Active Assistance Sevenoaks had 363 people who used the service. As part of our inspection we sent out 61 questionnaires to people who used the service; this included an additional questionnaire to give to a relative, friend or advocate for completing. A total of 15 questionnaires were returned. We also spoke to three people who used the service and six members of staff.

People who used the service told us that everything was discussed with them in relation to their needs. One person told us 'Any new care worker I have listens to how things are done here for me and quickly gets into the routine'.

The care plans and risk assessments for people described in detail triggers, which if experienced, were likely to result in the person experiencing symptoms of discomfort or distress. The care plans and risk assessments provided staff with the relevant information which would enable them to manage these episodes, including any immediate action to be taken, medication, positioning and emergency contact details.

We spoke with five members of staff about their understanding of safeguarding issues in relation to children, young people and vulnerable adults. They all demonstrated a clear understanding of signs and behaviours associated with potential abuse they should look out for.

We looked at the latest survey completed by the service and most people had stated that the capabilities of their carers, in relation to things like moving and handling, assisting with medication and pressure relief, was good or excellent.

We saw that all Care Service Managers (CSM) held the relevant qualifications to train and assess for specific clinical skills. We saw that both the CSM's and the Personal Assistants (PA) had to sign off documentation to confirm that they were both confident in their abilities to complete each procedure safely, known as delegation of tasks.

Most people had said the continuity of PAs was satisfactory, good or excellent. One person told us 'Full time cover always arranged'. Another person said 'We have two regular carers and they are both friendly and very helpful to me'.

We saw that the provider had a dedicated Customer Services Manager and electronic recording system. Records of complaints were reported on and discussed at monthly provider senior management meetings. This included any action that had already been taken and any identified actions that needed to be taken.

We saw that feedback surveys were distributed annually to gain the views and experiences from people who used the services/their relatives about the quality of the service. We viewed the results for the most recent survey and these indicated an overall level of satisfaction with the service.

4 July 2012

During a routine inspection

People told us that they were involved in the planning of their care from the beginning. They told us that their plans of care were reviewed regularly to ensure that the care plan continued to meet their needs.

One person who used the service told us it was 'the best thing I could have done, they're keeping me well and the PA's are very nice'.

People told us that they were treated with respect and dignity by their personal care assistants (PA's) and that they found it very helpful to choose a PA who was compatible with their individual personalities. One person told us that they had always found the staff to be 'very decent'.

People told us that they felt that they received safe and appropriate care and had no concerns. They told us that if they had any concerns they would have no qualms about speaking to the care services manager (CSM's) or anyone else at the agency.

People told us that they felt that their PA had the necessary skills and knowledge to provide the care that they needed.

Staff told us that they felt well supported and had opportunities for personal development. One member of staff told us that 'I feel trusted' and that she had 'a very rewarding job'.