Archived: Absolute Care Services (Richmond)

Updated 11 January 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.

This inspection took place on 7 December 2015 and was announced. The inspection team consisted of one inspector.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This 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 reviewed information we held about the provider, in particular notifications about incidents, accidents, safeguarding matters and any deaths. We spoke on the telephone with five people who used the service to gather their views about the service provided. We also spoke with two care staff, the manager, one area supervisor and the operations manager about the work they did and to gather their views of the service.

We reviewed a range of documents and records including; two care records for people who used the service, two records of staff employed by the agency, as well as a sample of complaints and compliments records, accidents and incident records. We also looked at policies and procedures kept by the service.

Updated 11 January 2016

We carried out an inspection of Absolute Care Services (Richmond) on 7 December 2015. This was an announced inspection where we gave the provider 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to ensure someone would be available to speak with us.

Absolute Care Services (Richmond) provides a range of services to people in their own home, including personal care, companionship and domestic support in the London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames. At the time of inspection there were 120 people using the service with an average of 1500 hours of care and support per week being provided by the service .

A registered manager was in place. 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 who used the service told us they felt safe, that care staff carried out their tasks in a caring manner and that they had confidence in the service. Staff had received training in how to safeguard people from harm and knew how to respond to any allegation of abuse. Staff were aware of the whistle blowing procedure which was in place to report concerns and poor practice.

There were sufficient staff employed to provide consistent and safe care to people, with people receiving care from the same team of staff for most of the time. The service carried out appropriate checks to ensure suitable staff were employed.

People received their medicines in a safe way and staff had received training in the types of medicines people received. Staff recorded medicines taken by people in an appropriate medicines record sheet.

The manager and care co-ordinators had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and had received training in this area to meet people’s care needs. Care staff had also received awareness training in the Mental Capacity Act.

Staff helped ensure people who used the service had food and drink to meet their needs and supported people with preparing meals where requested. Staff knew people’s care and support needs which were detailed in care plans describing how people wished to be supported. People were involved in making decisions about their care. There were regular home visits and telephone spot checks carried out by the service to monitor the quality of service and the care practice carried out by staff.

People who received care remained independent and in control of their decision making and choices. People had access to health care professionals to make sure they received appropriate care and treatment. The service maintained accurate and up to date records of people’s healthcare and GP contacts in case they needed to contact them.

A complaints procedure was available and people we spoke with said they knew how to complain, although no one said they had needed to. The service maintained records of compliments and complaints and recorded how these were resolved.

People had the opportunity to give their views about the service. There was regular consultation with staff, people and/or family members and their views were used to improve the service. Regular audits were completed to monitor service provision and to ensure the safety of people who used the service.