15 April 2021
During a routine inspection
Starcare Merseyside is a domiciliary care service. At the time of the inspection 34 people received support from the service, with 34 of those receiving personal care. The CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is to help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Some people told us they did not always know which staff would be attending, as there had been a lot of different carers specifically in January 2021. The registered manager explained that factors such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had, at times, impacted on staff absence which in turn had affected continuity on occasion.
People received their medicines from trained and competent staff. We have made a recommendation that the registered manager reviews systems in place, to ensure there is a consistent approach to medicines audits, although findings were identified the issues continued and were noted within the inspection. The registered manager took immediate action to address this.
Procedures were in place to protect people from abuse and people told us they felt safe with the staff who supported them. Staff were aware of the procedures to follow to prevent and control the spread of infection and received specific guidance about the COVID-19 pandemic. Risks associated with individual's needs were assessed and regularly reviewed with measures in place to mitigate these.
Recruitment procedures were safe.
People were treated with dignity and respect. People told us that staff were “Brilliant, nothing too much trouble” and "polite."
Each person had a personalised care plan which was detailed, person-centred and included assessment of people's specific communication needs. We saw that people had been involved in planning their support.
People were aware of who to contact if they had any concerns.
People and relatives were positive about the culture of the service and staff. Staff felt supported in their roles. There were opportunities for people to provide their views of the service they received.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 03/12/2019 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of this service to ensure the services provided to people was safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care.