Archived: Local Care Services Limited

Updated 26 October 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014. We also followed up on the compliance action issued at our last inspection in February 2014 to see whether improvements had been made to the way medicines were managed.

The inspection took place between the 19 and 23 September 2016 and was announced. This meant we gave the provider 48 hours’ notice of our visit, to ensure a manager was present within the office to assist with our enquires. The inspection team consisted of two adult social care inspectors and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. On the 19 September 2016 we visited the provider’s offices. Between the 19 and 23 September 2016 we spoke with people who used the service, their relatives, staff and health professionals over the telephone.

We used a number of different methods to help us understand the experiences of people who used the service. We spoke with fifteen people who used the service, fifteen relatives, seven care workers, two care co-ordinators, the medicines co-ordinator and the registered manager. We looked at elements of five people’s care records and other records which related to the management of the service such as training records and policies and procedures.

As part of our inspection planning we reviewed the information we held about the service. This included information from the provider, notifications and contacting the local authority safeguarding and commissioning team. We also spoke to four health and social care professionals who have contact with the service.

As part of the inspection process we reviewed the Provider Information Return (PIR), which the provider completed in a prompt manner prior to the inspection. This asks them to give key information about the service, what the service does well and what improvements they plan to make.

Updated 26 October 2016

Local Care Services Limited is a home care provider offering care and support services to people within their own homes and in their local community. The agency is situated in the town of Queensbury and serves the Calderdale area. The services provided include personal care, assistance with medication, cooking meals and daily activities.

A longstanding and experienced registered manager was in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.’

The inspection took place between the 19 and 23 September 2016 and was announced. At the last inspection in February 2014 the provider was in breach of one regulation relating to the management of medicines. At this inspection, although some improvements had been made to the way medicines were managed, the provider had not fully complied with legal requirements. A complete record of the medicine support provided to people was not being documented.

Overall, people told us they felt safe using the service. Safeguarding procedures were in place and we saw evidence they had been followed.

Risks to people’s health and safety were assessed and clear and up-to-date plans of care put in place for staff to follow. People we spoke with told us that risks such as those associated with moving and handling were well managed by staff. Arrangements were in place to ensure staff acted appropriately in emergency situations.

We concluded there were sufficient staff to ensure people received a safe service. Staff were subject to the required checks on their characters and backgrounds to help ensure they were suitable to work with vulnerable people.

People said staff adhered to infection control procedures and staff reported a plentiful supply of equipment.

Most people told us staff had the right skills and knowledge to care for them. Staff received extensive training on induction and at regular intervals. Staff had a good knowledge of the people and topics we asked them about. Staff told us they felt well supported by the registered manager.

The service was acting within the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

People told us they were supported appropriately to eat and drink. Care records showed people’s nutritional needs had been assessed and plans of care put in place.

People’s healthcare needs were assessed and we saw the service had regular contact with health professionals to help maintain people’s health.

People and relatives all said staff were kind and caring and treated them with a high level of dignity and respect. Information had been sought on people’s likes, dislikes and life histories to help provide personalised care and support.

The registered manager and staff told us where possible they tried to ensure continuity of care staff. However some people told us that there was a lack of continuity of care workers and they would prefer a smaller team of care staff.

People and relatives told us care needs were met by the service. Care records showed people’s care needs were assessed in a range of areas and appropriate plans of care put in place for staff to follow.

Staff were updated on people’s changing needs through regular contact from the office and a weekly newsletter.

A range of audits and checks were undertaken on staff and care records to help maintain a high quality service. People’s feedback was regularly sought. We identified systems to analyse occurrences within the service such as verbal complaints and any incidents should have been more robust.

The service had not fully acted on the Commission’s feedback at the previous inspection or followed the action plan submitted to us, as a complete record of the medication support provided to people was not in place.

We identified one breach of the Health and Social Care Act (2008) Regulated Activities 2014 Regulations. You can see what action we asked the provider to take at the back of this report.