Oxford Aunts

Updated 9 December 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider was 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.

This inspection took place on 16 November 2017 and was an announced inspection. We told the registered manager two days before our visit that we would be coming. We did this because the registered manager is sometimes out of the office supporting staff or visiting people who use the service. We needed to be sure that someone would be in. This inspection was conducted by one inspector.

Before the inspection we looked at previous inspection reports and notifications received from the provider. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law. This ensured we were addressing any areas of concern.

We spoke with nine people, three relatives, five care staff, two coordinators and the registered manager. We looked at seven people’s care records, four staff files and medicine administration records. We also looked at a range of records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 9 December 2017

Oxford Aunts provides personal live in care services to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults. At the time of our inspection 86 people were receiving a personal care service.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated good:

The service continued to provide safe care to people. Staff had received training in safeguarding adults and understood their responsibilities to identify and report any concerns. The provider had safe recruitment and selection processes in place, these included completing checks to make sure new staff were safe to work with vulnerable adults.

Medicines were managed safely and people received their medicines as prescribed.

People's care plans contained risk assessments which included risks associated with peoples care. There were sufficient staff deployed to meet people’s needs.

People continued to receive effective care from staff who had the skills and knowledge to support them. People were supported to have choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the procedures in the service supported this practice. People were supported to maintain good health.

The service continued to provide support in a caring way. People benefited from caring relationships with staff who treated them with dignity and respect. People were involved in their care and supported to remain independent.

The service continued to be responsive. People received personalised care by staff who understood people's individual needs and preferences. People's changing needs were responded to appropriately.

The service continued to be well led by a registered manager and care provider who were open, honest and transparent. The registered manager continually monitored the quality of the service.