Seaview

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

The breach of regulation found at our last assessment in January 2024 had been met. The management of the service had changed. The culture within the service was now open and transparent, staff were encouraged and supported to raise concerns. Staff told us they were now supported and had received additional training and supervision. Staff were now involved in making suggestions and changes to the service. Management and staff had developed working relationships with healthcare professionals and the community.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

There was now a shared direction and staff worked together with senior leaders to support people to be as independent as possible. Staff described how people were at the centre of everything that happened at the service and were involved in decision making and planning. Senior managers told us they were supporting staff to understand they will not get in trouble if they make a decision or get something wrong. This had been effective and staff described an open culture where any mistakes were used as learning opportunities. They explained there was no longer a blame culture and they were confident to share any concerns with senior leaders. Staff told us it had been a difficult time since our last assessment and there had been ups and downs. However, they confirmed they could see, “A light at the end of the tunnel” and felt rewarded by seeing people’s independence grow

Staff were now following the provider's policies and procedures and these had been effective in promoting an open and transparent culture. Senior leaders had held meetings and staff supervisions to share the provider's ethos and vision for the life people should be living.

The registered manager had left following our last assessment. The provider was recruiting to the role and a senior manager was leading the service in the interim. They told us they were being “very careful” about who was appointed to ensure the service continued to improve. Staff told us the change in leadership had improved the service and “People have a life now”. Two experienced senior support workers had been recruited. They allocated work to staff and staff told us they were clear about their roles and responsibilities. Staff told us they were, “brilliant” and “approachable”, they supported them when they were not sure of their role and they were now confident in what they were doing. Staff told us leadership had significantly improved. They told us there was a “Clear direction from the top down” and “A chain of command where information is communicated up and down”. They felt empowered to make decisions and take actions to support people to be safe and independent. They explained they now understood the systems and processes in place and how this was used to improve the service and people's support.

Following our last assessment, senior leadership supported staff to discuss the concerns raised at our last assessment and identify the skills they needed to make the changes required. Staff had received additional training and support to understand how to improve people's life. The recruitment process was used to make sure staff displayed the same values as the provider.

Senior leadership told us they had spent time with staff building their confidence to raise concerns. They had explained the safeguarding and incident reporting processes so staff understood what had been done with the information they had shared.

Since our last assessment, a new feedback survey was being completed and plans were in place to evaluate the feedback and develop an action plan. This survey had been anonymous to encourage staff to share their feedback with confidence. Senior leadership had held frequent staff meetings to encourage staff to speak up for people and themselves.

Senior leaders told us they had “relaxed chats” with staff to build a rapport and show staff they cared. Staff told us the relationships between staff and leaders had improved. Their comments included, “Coming to work is enjoyable now”, “I leave with a smile knowing I have made a difference”, “There was a time I didn’t want to come to work but I do now” and “I have a good manager, good seniors and good team mates”. Staff told us the rota was now planned in advance and this had had a positive impact on their wellbeing and home life as they were able to make plans and had time off between shifts.

The provider had policies and procedures in place to promote diversity and equality in the workforce. Systems were now in place to support staff when they returned to work after a period of absence. For example, a senior leader had met with a person at the end of their shift to ensure they had settled back in and facilitate any support they needed.

A senior leader told us they had introduced a process for managers of the provider’s local services to complete checks and audits in different services. The aim of this was to develop open and transparent practice across the organisation. They explained to us how senior managers now completed checks and audits at different times of the day, including during the evening and at night. This was to support open communication with staff and hear their views as well us understand how the service operated when the manager was not on site.

There was now a clear governance structure within the service and systems have been developed to make sure shortfalls and any errors are identified quickly so action can be taken.

People had more contact with other people living in other services. This had enabled people to spend time with people at parties and celebrations. A pyjama party was planned for shortly after our assessment to raise money for charity and people from other services had been invited. People living at Seaview had visited people in other services, they had enjoyed a Halloween party and going out for meals.

Senior leaders had supported staff to develop relationships with staff through out the organisation. Staff had developed relationships with the local GP surgery to get the best outcomes for people. One member of staff was now responsible for delivering repeat prescription requests to the receptionist and this had boosted their confidence.

Partners told us they were in regular contact with staff and discussed people's needs and support. They told us staff were proactive and asked for support when required. Staff supported people to attend appointments and promoted a healthy lifestyle.

Since our last assessment, the senior leadership had been working to develop relationships with the local authority. They had been open about the previous shortfalls at the service and how this had changed. Staff were encouraged to contact healthcare professionals to discuss people's needs.

Staff told us about the changes since our last assessment including staff morale and improvements to people's experiences of living at the service. Staff described how people were now supported to be as independent as possible, go out and take part in developing their support. Staff were positive about the changes to the service and how they were working as a team. They were confident improvements would continue.

Following our last assessment the provider had identified incidents were not being recorded and reported in line with their policy. They had changed their processes to identify any possible absence of reporting as well as to look at high levels of reporting. The aim of this was to quickly identify shortfalls and act on them.