SEA Recruitment Services Ltd

Updated 8 May 2020

The inspection

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

We attended the provider's premises on the first day. Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, we were unable to return to the office or make home visits, so we reviewed documents and made telephone calls on the second day of the inspection.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by one inspector. A qualified British Sign Language interpreter was used on the first day of our inspection to enable us to communicate with people and staff who were non hearing.

Service and service type

SEA (Signing Enabling Access) Recruitment Services Ltd provides care and support to people living in their own homes and ‘supported living’ accommodation so that they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

The service had two managers registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered managers would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with five people who used the service. We also spoke with the registered managers, three team leaders, two care staff and the training co-ordinator.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data, three care plans, minutes of meetings and accident and incident records. We spoke with five relatives to help us gain an insight into their loved ones experience of care and support. We also spoke with two professionals who regularly worked with the service.

Updated 8 May 2020

About the service

SEA (Signing Enabling Access) Recruitment Services Ltd provides personal care and support for deaf people with other needs, such as a learning disability and/or autism, sight impairment or a physical health condition. SEA Recruitment provides support to people in their own homes, residential and care homes or hospitals. The service also provides support to seven people living at Beach House, a supported living home.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

There were 31 people who received personal care as regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) at the time of our inspection.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence.

People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

People's experience of using this service and what we found

People supported by SEA benefited from an outstandingly effective, caring and well-led service.

People received an exceptionally effective level of person-centred care and support, which led to positive outcomes and met their needs in a holistic way. The focus of people’s support was to provide them with opportunities and become more independent. People’s unique characteristics were not considered a barrier to their achievements. This was because the culture of the service was underpinned by the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and staff were able to communicate with people in the most effective way possible.

There was a well-defined inclusive culture and staff supported people to achieve life changing positive outcomes. Staff were motivated and passionate about making a difference to people's lives and helping them to achieve their goals.

Staff had a unique insight into people’s care and support needs borne out of a genuine empathy for the people they supported. All staff used sign language to communicate with people all of who were non-hearing. The service provided staff with training which was tailored for their needs as well as of those they supported.

People and their relatives had confidence in the staff who took care of them. People were matched with staff based on shared interests and personalities. We received extremely positive feedback about the service people received, comments focused on social inclusion, well-being and individualised care. Relatives were keen to tell us how staff went ‘above and beyond’ and always went the ‘extra mile.’

People were supported in such a way that allowed them maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The registered managers adopted extremely innovative approaches which were effective at greatly enhancing the quality of the lives of people using the service.

Managers led by example and were integral in promoting a highly positive culture within the service which led to the delivery of tailor made care which was as unique as each person receiving it.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

At our last inspection, the service was rated "Good." (Report published September 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the rating of the last inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.