Harbour Lights Community Support

This was the first inspection for this service.

People were placed at the very centre of their care and support, with care plans developed and reviewed in partnership with them and their relatives. Staff were proactive in identifying changes in needs and ensured care plans were updated accordingly. People felt confident their views were listened to and acted upon.

Staff were exceptionally caring, consistently demonstrating empathy, kindness and respect. People described staff as thoughtful, compassionate and attentive to both their physical and emotional wellbeing. Staff took time to build trusting relationships, often going above and beyond to support people and their families. For example, staff were praised for noticing small details such as a broken nail and taking time to ensure it was safe and comfortable. People felt respected, valued and safe in the presence of staff, with 1 person describing the team as “like family”.

People were supported to understand what being safe meant to them, and staff had received appropriate safeguarding training. Staff demonstrated a clear understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and worked to protect people’s rights. Concerns were shared promptly and appropriately with relevant agencies.

Risks to people’s safety were identified, assessed and managed in collaboration with individuals and their families. Staff worked creatively with professionals to enable positive risk-taking while ensuring safety. Care plans included detailed information about risks and how staff should mitigate them.

Medicines were administered safely and as prescribed. Staff were trained and regularly assessed for competency. The provider had recently introduced an electronic care planning system and took immediate action to improve recording practices where needed.

The provider had robust governance and quality assurance systems in place. Leadership was inclusive, compassionate and responsive, with a clear shared vision and culture of continuous improvement. Staff felt supported and valued, and the provider promoted workforce wellbeing.

Recruitment processes were safe and thorough, ensuring staff were suitable to work with vulnerable people. Staff received effective induction, training and supervision. However, some gaps in training record checks were identified although these were addressed promptly by the provider.