We inspected Support and Independence Team Central and Upper Valley 2 on 31July and 1 and 3 August 2017. We gave the provider short notice of our intention to inspect the service. This is in line with our current methodology for inspecting domiciliary care agencies to make sure the registered manager can be available. The last inspection of this service took place in December 2015. The service was rated as ‘Requires Improvement’ but no breaches of regulation were identified.
The Support and Independence Team Upper Valley 2 is registered with the Care Quality Commission as a domiciliary care agency. However the service differs from other domiciliary care services as it is a short term reablement service which helps people regain their independence following periods of illness or time in hospital. People who use this service are not given specific visit times and the length of stay is dependent on the support they require at each visit. The service, provided by Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council, works in partnership with the local NHS foundation trust with the office based in Hebden Bridge Health Centre. Referrals to the service are usually from the community, Gateway to Care or following hospital discharge.
At the time of our inspection there were 9 people receiving personal care.
There was 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 and relatives we spoke with praised the service provided and the staff. People told us staff were kind and supported them with encouragement and patience.
Medicines management was safe which helped ensure people received their medicines as prescribed.
Our discussions with staff showed they were committed to supporting people in regaining their independence. Staff were recruited safely and told us their induction and shadowing was comprehensive and prepared them for their roles. We saw staff received the training and support they required to meet people’s needs.
Staff had a good understanding of safeguarding and said they would not hesitate to report poor practice. People were given information about safeguarding.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives.
People’s care records provided detailed information about their needs and focussed on what people could do for themselves as well as the support they needed to meet their goals in regaining their independence.
Risk assessments showed any identified risks had been assessed and mitigated. We saw people had been involved in their support plans. There was full information about people’s needs, lifestyles, preferences and goals.
People were supported to access healthcare and benefited from a multi-disciplinary approach to promote recovery and independence.
People were supported with their nutrition when this was identified as a care need.
People we spoke with raised no concerns but knew the processes to follow if they had any complaints and were confident these would be dealt with.
Systems were in place to audit the quality of the service provided.
People, relatives and staff spoke highly of the way in which the service was run. They told us communication was very good. They told us about regular checks that were carried out to make sure people were happy with the support they received. The registered manager was actively seeking ways in which the service could develop.