Archived: Amcare Limited

Amcare Limited (Amcare Group Nursing Services) are part of a larger global organisation. This organisation provide, manufacture, deliver and advise on ostomy (an opening in the body created through a surgical procedure for the discharge of body waste) and bowel care, wound therapeutics, continence, critical care and infusion devices and have prescription distribution facilities nationally.

Amcare Nursing Services are a small team of registered general nurses, based throughout England, providing urology support to adults and bowel support to adults and children living in their own homes.

Amcare Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of it's parent company.

We regulate independent community adult services but we do not currently have a legal duty to rate them. We highlight good practice and issues that service providers need to improve and take regulatory action as necessary.

We found the following areas of good practice:

• All staff we spoke with demonstrated a clear understanding of incident reporting processes and procedures.
• The provider had robust arrangements to ensure care and treatment was aligned to best practice and followed national guidelines.
• Nurses worked flexibly to ensure fluctuating referral numbers were managed appropriately.
• All patients we spoke with were positive about the provider.
• The provider proactively provided nurses with opportunities for further professional development.
• Patients received services, which were assessed according to their individual needs.
• Advice and support for patients was made available through the use of various technologies.
• All staff we spoke with were passionate about the services they delivered and felt proud to work for the organisation.
• Leaders were visible and promoted a positive, supportive culture. They could clearly articulate the values and business model of the organisation.

However, we also found the following issues that the service provider needs to improve:

• Lessons learnt following clinical incidents were not readily accessible, however following our inspection a draft policy was submitted by the provider, which included a clear audit trail process following an incident.
• The provider did not offer training for nurses in relation to dementia care and learning disabilities.
• The provider did not formally record any patient outcome data. However, we saw plans to address this through the introduction of a new electronic recording system.