Everliving Services - Peterborough and Cambs.

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 service had an open and supportive culture where people and staff were valued, supported, and listened to. Leaders, managers, and staff were committed to providing people with safe person-centred care and support. Managers supported staff to develop their knowledge and skills and to have a positive experience working for Everliving Services - Peterborough and Cambs. The service had a positive culture of continuous learning and improvement. There were some effective governance and management systems in place, and new processes were being embedded where shortfalls had been identified.

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.

The manager was experienced in their field and displayed genuine compassion and interest in the people and staff. Staff spoken with felt they were well trained and supported and able to raise concerns with confidence these would be acted upon. Staff completed safeguarding training and positive behavioural support to help them support people in the least restrictive way. Safeguarding concerns had been raised, responded to and shared with staff. The registered manager was open to suggestions and acknowledged and identified what could have been done differently and put this learning in to practice.

The manager and team managers were visible in the service and monitored the level of care and support being provided to people.

There was a clear staffing structure in place and the manager told us about the ongoing changes they were making to continue to improve their service. This had included the introduction of a number of people into management roles across the supported living services and domiciliary care services. The addition of new managers meant that the registered manager had also been able to implement new processes to ensure that governance practices were monitoring safe and effective care and support.

The registered manager felt supported by the provider and also worked closely with the registered manager of another service..

The registered manager was passionate about driving improvement both for people using the service and for staff. This had included expanding the management team. We found that not all notifications, which the provider was expected to notify us about had been completed. This was raised during our inspection, and the notifications were completed and submitted immediately. Although service managers can take on the responsibility of completing notifications for their area, it remains the responsibility of the registered manager to satisfy themselves of the appropriate completion. The registered manager acknowledged this.

The registered manager were eager to inform us of all the improvements they feel they have made since the last inspection. They shared a positive achievement being that commissioning teams from other local authorities had made contact due to recommendations that had been made to them from professionals working with the service.

Staff told us they were comfortable to raise any issues at their supervision sessions with the manager and during team meetings.

We saw records of team meetings and action plans to drive improvements had been introduced by the manager. The manager had policies and processes for staff to follow on ‘whistle blowing’.

Staff were recruited based on the needs of the people being supported. Staff had contact with the management team through regular meetings and supervision. Staff felt their opinion mattered.

The provider had a fair recruitment process and we saw staff files with the required level of compliance. Staff were listened to, through regular supervisions and staff meetings. The registered manager and team leaders were visible on site and available to speak to staff when necessary.

The registered manager understood their responsibilities and role. They had established systems of accountability and demonstrated good governance, though some identified improvements still needed to be embedded. Feedback from staff was positive about management. Staff told us, “I think [the managers] are doing great, staff and service users well-being are being cared for and taken as a priority. Staff are trained to carry out their duty of care towards the service users.”

The registered manager had an auditing system in place. During our first site visit this system had not identified the use of inappropriate comments in daily records. By the second visit auditing was becoming more effective with the appointment of more senior staff taking on the responsibility of auditing daily care notes and records. The registered manager was responsive to the care notes we identified and was visibly disappointed in the language staff had used in records. This was addressed immediately following our conversation. Before the inspection was concluded, the registered manager had also implemented a new monitoring process of daily notes. This included the appropriate manager signing them off to indicate to the registered manager that they have been reviewed.

People were supported by staff to have an active presence in the community if they wanted to. People were supported to attend health appointments, and staff organised urgent health care when necessary.

The registered manager was working with the local community to build relationships and share knowledge regarding some of the issues and difficulties, people using the service may experience. The registered manager worked closely with professionals and health practitioners to ensure people using the service were well supported and changes in their health and care needs were responded to promptly.

Professionals we spoke with were positive about their working relationship with both staff and management. They told us that they felt staff knew people well, and were open to training and development to improve their skill and knowledge base.

We reviewed paperwork and care plans which evidenced that staff and management worked with professionals and partners.

We found that staff knew people's needs and supported them effectively. Staff were confident that they were supported to receive the necessary training to be able to do their job well. A member of staff told us, “I am always enrolled for trainings as often as possible.”

Staff also told us that they were encouraged and supported to progress within their career. They said, “The service is always providing opportunities for growth for the employees. Senior positions are first advertised internally before done externally.”

Staff were expected to take personal responsibility to keep up to date with the changing needs of people using the service. This was tested regularly with on-the-spot care plan quizzes. If a staff member could not demonstrate their knowledge of a person’s needs they would be required to go away and read the care plan before supporting that person. Opportunities for learning for staff included training, team meetings and supervisions.