This inspection visit took place on 25 June 2018 and 2 July 2018 and was announced. This is the first inspection since the service moved to a new location. At this inspection we found the service was rated Good.
Prestige Nursing Blackpool is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people who live in their own homes. The service covers a wide range of dependency needs including adults, children, people with a learning disability, people with mental health problems, people living with dementia and older people.
At the time of our inspection Prestige Nursing Blackpool was providing a service to 20 adults and children.
There was a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC 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. Having a registered manager is a condition of registration with CQC.
Although people had limited verbal communication and were unable to converse with us, we were able to speak with the relatives of five people. They told us staff safely supported and cared for their family member. They said they were friendly and caring. One relative said, “Prestige staff provide a high standard of care. I am very happy with them.”
Most areas of recruitment and selection had been carried out safely before new staff could start working for the service. However, on the first day of the inspection a complete work history had not always been asked for. This had been rectified by the second day of the inspection.
There were procedures in place to protect people from abuse and unsafe care. Risk assessments were in place which provided guidance for staff. This minimised risks to people. Staff supported people with and managed medicines safely. People we spoke with told us they were competent in the support they gave with medicines.
There were safe infection control procedures and practices and staff had received infection control training. Staff wore protective clothing such as gloves and aprons when needed. This reduced the risk of infection.
Relatives told us their family member was supported by the same group of staff who they knew and liked. They told us they had confidence in their staff team as they were knowledgeable and were familiar with their needs and preferences.
Staff had received training in how to care for people which assisted them in carrying out their roles.
Staff supported people to have a nutritious dietary and fluid intake. They had been taught to carry out complex nutritional support to assist people with their specialist nutritional needs.
Staff received regular training and were knowledgeable how to support and care for people. They had the skills, knowledge and experience to provide safe and effective support.
Staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005). People who received support consented to care where they were able. Where people lacked capacity, appropriate best interests’ decisions were carried out.
Care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported. People who received support where possible or their relatives had been involved in making decisions about their care.
People we spoke with knew how to raise a concern or to make a complaint. The complaints procedure was available to them and they told us any concerns were listened to and acted upon.
The registered manager and senior staff monitored the support staff provided to people. They checked staff arrived on time and supported people in the way people wanted. Audits of care records and risk assessments were carried out regularly.
People and their relatives were encouraged to complete surveys about the quality of their care. They told us they were pleased with the support they received.