# Swanton Community Services – Hertfordshire

*Operated by Swanton Community Services.*

Swanton Community Services – Hertfordshire is a CQC-regulated home-care agency in Stevenage.

## CQC Ratings

| Key question | Rating |
| --- | --- |
| Overall | Requires improvement |
| Safe | Good |
| Effective | Requires improvement |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Well-led | Requires improvement |

Rating published: 29/06/2023

## Practical info

- Postcode: SG1 2EF
- Registered manager: Thorpe, Dawn
- Local authority: Hertfordshire
- Region: East
- City: Stevenage
- Last CQC check: 29/Jun/2023 - 00:00

## Inspection findings

### effective

- Finding
  - Supporting people to live healthier lives and access healthcare services
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Adapting service, design, decoration to meet people's needs
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Supporting people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced diet
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Assessing people's needs and choices; delivering care in line with standards, guidance and the law
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Staff support: induction, training, skills and experience
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Ensuring consent to care and treatment in line with law and guidance
  - Published: 2024-02-08

### Other

- Finding
  - Evidence: Staff felt respected, supported and valued; management were visible and approachable.
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Evidence: The provider worked well with external professionals including district nurses and social workers.
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Evidence: People were involved in choosing their food, shopping and planning meals; staff supported independent cooking skills.
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Evidence: Staff were safely recruited including DBS checks.
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Evidence: Effective infection prevention and control measures were in place and PPE was used appropriately.
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Evidence: Staff learned from incidents, including arranging Makaton training following a communication-related incident.
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Evidence: People were supported in a safe, clean, well-equipped, well-furnished and well-maintained environment meeting sensory and physical needs.
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Evidence: Staff supported people with their medicines in a way that promoted their independence and achieved the best possible health outcome.
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Evidence: Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and knew how to apply it; families confirmed people felt safe.
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- **medication_management** _(minor)_
  - Evidence: People's PRN protocols were not always clear. We reviewed one which stated a person would 'communicate they had pain' but did not say how.
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- **record_keeping** _(moderate)_
  - Evidence: The registered manager tended to monitor the service informally; there was limited documentation of this. The frequency of spot checks and what was to be checked at each visit was unclear.
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- **communication_with_families** _(minor)_
  - Evidence: People's families did not always feel involved in planning their care. A relative told us, 'We had very little input with the support plan.'
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- **person_centred_care** _(minor)_
  - Evidence: People's care plans included language which was childish, such as describing them as 'playing' or 'being cheeky'. A person's care plan stated a person 'Played with their toys.'
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- **incident_learning** _(moderate)_
  - Evidence: We reviewed some incident reports and found they did not reflect on what led to the incident and what could be done to prevent it in future.
  - Published: 2024-02-08

### safe

- Finding
  - Learning lessons when things go wrong
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Preventing and controlling infection
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuse
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Using medicines safely
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Assessing risk, safety monitoring and management
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Staffing and recruitment
  - Published: 2024-02-08

### well_led

- Finding
  - Working in partnership with others
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staff; continuous learning and improving care
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Promoting a positive culture that is person-centred, open, inclusive and empowering
  - Published: 2024-02-08
- Finding
  - Managers and staff being clear about their roles, understanding quality performance, risks and regulatory requirements
  - Published: 2024-02-08

## Source

Data published by the [Care Quality Commission](https://www.cqc.org.uk/) under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Canonical page: https://homecarecompass.co.uk/agency/1-5842997881

HomeCare Compass is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the CQC.