This was an announced inspection, carried out on 19 & 25 February 2016. We gave 48 hours’ notice of the inspection because the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that the registered manager or someone who could act on their behalf would be available to support our inspection. Westwood Care and Support Limited is a domiciliary care agency, providing personal care and support to people living in their own homes. The service operates from an office based in the Halewood area of Knowsely, Liverpool.
The service has a manager who was registered with CQC in May 2011. 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 last inspection of Westwood Care and Support was carried out in November 2013 and we found that the service was meeting all the regulations that were assessed.
People felt safe when they used the service and they had no concerns about the way staff treated them. There were systems in place to protect people from abuse including training for staff and policies and procedures for staff to follow. Staff recognised the different types and indicators of abuse and were confident about reporting any concerns they had.
Staff knew how to deal with an emergency situation and they were confident about what to do should one arise. People who used the service and staff had information about who they could contact for advice, guidance or support at any time of the day or night.
Staff received the training and support they needed. New staff completed an induction programme and all staff received ongoing training relevant to their role, responsibilities and the needs of the people they supported.
The registered provider had a policy and procedure relating to medicine management. Staff responsible for administering medication completed the relevant training and had their competency checked regularly to ensure they were managing people’s medicines safely.
An assessment of people’s needs was carried out and appropriate care plans were developed. Care plans were person centred and detailed people’s preferences with regards to how they wished their care and support to be provided. Care plans were regularly reviewed with the involvement of the person and other significant people such as family members and relevant health and social care professionals.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. Policies and procedures were in place to guide staff in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The registered manager understood what their responsibilities were for ensuring decisions were made in people’s best interests. Staff were aware of the need to obtain people’s consent prior to them providing any care and support.
People who used the service felt they were treated with kindness and they said their privacy and dignity was respected. People’s independence was promoted, they were supported to do as much as they could for themselves so that they did not lose their independence.
People’s wishes and preferences were accurately reflected in the care plans. Contact records were maintained detailing the support people received and they were an effective way for staff to communicate important information about people.
The culture of the service was positive and open. People who used the service and staff described the registered manager as being approachable and supportive. Systems were in place to monitor the safety and quality of the service and to gather the views and experiences of people and their family members. The service was flexible and responded to any issues or concerns raised. People told us they were confident that any concerns they might have would be listened to, taken seriously and acted upon.