Archived: Waverley Reablement Service

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, speaking with people using the service, the staff supporting them and from looking at records. If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary please read our full report.

' Is the service safe?

People's needs were assessed before they began to use the service to ensure that the reablement team could provide support that met their needs. Assessments were also used to determine whether people required any specialist equipment or adaptations and referrals to occupational therapists were made if necessary.

People told us that reablement staff supported them in a way that maintained their comfort and safety. They said that staff treated them with respect when speaking to them and when providing their support.

' Is the service effective?

People told us that reablement staff had encouraged them to identify goals that they wished to achieve and to be involved in the development of their individual support plan. They said that reablement staff had supported them to regain skills and confidence and to increase their independence.

' Is the service caring?

People spoke highly of the support they had received from the reablement staff who visited them. They told us that staff were friendly, helpful and courteous. People said that reablement staff knew their needs and how they preferred their care to be provided. One person said, 'I couldn't fault a single one of them, they were all splendid' and another told us, 'They're really lovely people, they couldn't do enough for me.'

' Is the service responsive?

People received a personalised service based on their individual needs and preferences. People's needs were reviewed regularly and the service responded appropriately if people's needs changed.

People told us that the service provided by reablement staff was flexible to meet their individual needs. One person told us, 'They're always willing to do little extras for me' and another said, 'They were all really helpful. They were happy to do anything I asked of them.'

' Is the service well-led?

Staff were positive about their roles and told us that they received good support from their managers. They said that they had opportunities to discuss their professional development and to share information with colleagues to ensure that support was provided in a consistent way. .

Staff received all elements of mandatory training in their induction but limited availability on training courses meant that refresher training was out of date for some staff.

Staff told us that they did not have access to all the training they needed, particularly in the areas of dementia and mental health. They said that an increasing proportion of the people they supported had needs related to these conditions and that they needed training in these areas to enable them to deliver support effectively.

Both people that we spoke with told us that they were happy with the support that was provided for them. One person told us, 'They're encouraging me to do more and try and get about. They know I'm worried about the pain but they were very reassuring'. Another person said, 'I absolutely couldn't criticise a thing. They have all been very kind and way better than I expected'.

We saw that guidance regarding safeguarding people from abuse was available to staff and that they had received recent training. When asked if they felt safe with staff one person we spoke with said, 'Not only that, they take time to talk to me about football and music. You can get very isolated when you're not mobile'

The staff recruitment process was found to be thorough and we noted that the skills and experience of potential staff were tested for their suitability to carry out the role.

We found that there were effective procedures in place to monitor standards of care and support provided, also, that the service responded appropriately to feedback. Comments seen on the most recent feedback forms included; 'Thank you for solving the care problems with my relative. Efficiently done and with due care and consideration. Excellent'.

We saw that there was an effective complaints system in place and that people were informed regarding making complaints and comments about the service.