Swanton Community Services Norfolk

At the time of inspection 20 people were supported in flats at Treeview Court on the same site as the agency office, and seven people were being supported in their own homes in the community.

There was a robust assessment of people's needs prior to them moving into the service. The assessment was holistic and considered physical, social and emotional needs. People were supported to cook healthy meals and some people had specific plans in place for staff to follow where they had specific dietary needs. The service worked well with other professionals and supported people to access healthcare. However, there were some concerns amongst professionals that recent changes in management had affected some aspects of the service. People were supported to have 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.

People told us the staff were kind and caring and got to know them well. They felt in control of their support which focussed around their needs. There had been recent issues in relation to the rotas which meant some people's support had not always been with the person or at the time they preferred. This was being addressed. Staff promoted people's privacy and dignity and there was a focus in the service in supporting people to become more independent.

The service was responsive to people's individual needs. Care plans were regularly updated by keyworkers who knew people well. People were supported to access the community and attend activities of their choice, as well as training or work-based activities. People knew who to speak to if they had concerns and there was a robust complaints system in place. The service was not supporting people at the end of their life but had processes in place to enable them to do this if required.

Overall the service was well led. However recent changes in management and less regular team meetings had an impact on communication within the team and had affected morale of staff. The managers were addressing these concerns. The registered manager had recently returned from maternity leave and new team leaders had been appointed so they anticipated management would return to being more stable in the future. People and staff told us they could talk to managers and felt listened to. They said they were open and honest. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of care and to act to improve things if necessary.