Background to this inspection
Updated
7 April 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 check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
The inspection took place on 16 February and 4 March 2016 and was announced and undertaken out by one adult social care inspector. The provider was given 24 hours’ notice because the location was a domiciliary care agency and we needed to be sure that someone would be at the office when we visited.
Prior to the inspection we reviewed the Provider Information Record (PIR) and previous inspection reports. The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also reviewed the information we held about the service, and notifications we had received. A notification is information about important events, which the service is required to send us by law.
During the inspection we spoke with the registered manager, training officer and six members of staff. We spoke to six people and one relative via telephone about the care they received and two health and social care professional. We visited four people in their own homes and spoke to two relatives.
We looked at four records related to people’s individual care needs. These records included support plans, risk assessments and daily monitoring records. We also looked at four staff recruitment files and records associated with the management of the service, including quality audits.
Updated
7 April 2016
The inspection took place on 16 February and 4 March 2016 and was announced. The provider was given notice because the location was a domiciliary care agency (DCA) and we needed to be sure that someone would be in at the office. We also gave notice to enable the agency to arrange home visits with people’s consent. We also spoke to people via phone about the service they received.
Allied Healthcare Plymouth provides a personal care service to adults and children living in their own home. On the day of the inspection 68 people were supported by the agency with their personal care needs.
The agency had a registered manager in post. 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.
People’s care records contained information that described what staff needed to do to provide personalised care and support. Staff responded quickly to people’s change in needs. Where appropriate, friends, relatives and health and social care professionals were involved in identifying people’s needs. People’s preferences, life histories, disabilities and abilities were taken into account, communicated to staff and clearly recorded.
People’s risks were assessed, monitored and well managed. The agency had policies and procedures in place which were understood by staff to help protect people and keep them safe.
People who required it were supported and encouraged to maintain a varied and healthy balanced diet.
People had their medicines managed safely and people told us they received the prompts required to help ensure they received their medicines as prescribed.
People, relatives and staff were encouraged to be involved and help drive continuous improvements. This helped ensure positive progress was made in the delivery of care and support provided by the service.
The service sought feedback from people and encouraged people to share their concerns and complaints. The registered manager investigated any complaints or concerns and used the outcome as an opportunity for learning to take place.
People were kept safe and protected from discrimination. All staff had undertaken training on safeguarding from abuse and equality and diversity. Staff demonstrated how to report any concerns and described what action they would take to protect people from harm.
Staff received training in the Mental Capacity Act. These staff displayed an understanding of the requirements of the Act, which had been followed in practice.
People were supported by a small staff team which helped to provide continuity of people’s care and assisted in the development of positive relationships. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs. However, some people told us they did not always get a call, which meant they were left wondering when staff may arrive. The registered manager told us this was an ongoing problem which was continually discussed with staff, but they would strive to make improvements.
Staff were trained to carry out their roles effectively. The agency followed safe recruitment practices to help ensure staff were suitable to work with vulnerable adults and children. Staff described the management as very approachable and supportive. Staff talked positively about their jobs and felt motivated to provide quality care.
There were effective quality assurance systems in place to help drive improvements and ensure positive progress was made in the delivery of care and support provided by the service.