Southways Group Ltd

Improvements had been made throughout the service.

People who were able to talk with us over the telephone told us they were safe using the service. Family members told us their relatives were being cared for by staff who knew them well. Health and social care professionals thought the service had improved and people had better outcomes.

People were cared for by staff who were reliable and consistent. Rotas were organised in a way which meant people saw the same team of staff so that relationships were developed and maintained.

Staff had a good understanding of safeguarding processes to keep people safe and how to report any concerns. Staff understood and were aware of their responsibilities to raise concerns and report all incidents. People were supported with their medicines when they needed them. We were assured the service met good infection prevention and control guidelines and personal protective equipment (PPE) was readily available. There were enough staff to provide care and support to people and staff had been suitably recruited to their role.

Staff were aware of people's needs and supported them to manage risks to their safety whilst supporting them to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People's needs had been assessed and reviewed. Care plans contained information about people's needs

and ways in which they should be met. This included their routines, preferences, and more recently, gathering information about their protected characteristics, culture and lifestyle.

Staff confirmed they had received training which gave them the knowledge and skills to carry out their roles. Spot checks were carried out to monitor staff practice and ensure they were working safely. People had good support with their meals. People were supported to access healthcare where needed. Staff worked very well with other professionals to ensure people's healthcare needs were met

Staff treated people with dignity, respect, kindness and promoted their independence. Staff recorded information about people in a respectful way. Obtaining people's views as to their end of life wishes was ongoing and information was being captured at their pace. The manager was seeking support and training for staff in order to explore with people their wishes and choices.

Systems had improved to assess, manage and monitor the oversight and quality of the service. Complaints were investigated and responded to. Where things had gone wrong, the manager was open and transparent with people, and their relatives and used their feedback to improve the service.