Archived: Care Assistance

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on speaking with the registered manager and the care staff who supported people who received personal care, and looking at records. On this occasion we did not speak with people who used the service, but we took into account what they told us when we inspected the service in May 2014.

If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.

Is the service effective?

At our last inspection we found staff had not received appropriate professional development and support. At this visit additional training had been undertaken to help staff meet the needs of the people they supported but we found some staff still needed to complete training in some topics. The registered manager told us they had made plans to address this.

We saw new staff had undertaken a structured induction programme to make sure they had the knowledge and skills to carry out their job.

We also saw evidence that staff had received an appraisal of their work. Staff told us they felt they were well trained and received frequent informal support from the registered manager. However, these support sessions had not been documented; the registered manager told us they would record these sessions in the future.

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, speaking with people using the service, speaking with the staff supporting them and looking at records.

If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.

Is the service safe?

People told us they were treated with respect and dignity by the staff who supported them. They praised the staff who provided their care and said they felt their care and support was delivered in a safe way.

The company had policies and procedures in place to help protect people who used the service. We found most staff had received training in relation to safeguarding vulnerable people from abuse with further courses planned.

We saw there was a system in place to address any issue that arose and the complaints policy was made available to people in the agency's welcome pack. No-one we spoke with highlighted any concerns or complaint.

Is the service effective?

People's comments indicated staff were meeting their needs. However we found that not all staff had received all the essential training they required or regular formal supervision sessions. The staff we spoke with told us they felt well supported by the manager, but confirmed they had not received a comprehensive structured induction to the agency or regular supervision sessions.

We have asked the provider to tell us how they will make improvements and meet the requirements of law in relation to ensure staff receive appropriate essential training and regular formal supervision.

Is the service caring?

People told us they were supported by friendly, efficient and caring staff. People told us care workers respected their opinion while allowing them to be as independent as they were able to be. People said staff always asked how people wanted things doing and provided care in the way they preferred. One person told us, 'They do things as we agreed.' Another person said, 'We get the same care staff all the time which makes a big difference.'

At the time of our visit the provider had not used surveys to gain people's views as it had only been registered since October 2013. However we were told the manager visited people on a regular basis and asked if they were satisfied with the care and support provided. People we spoke with confirmed the manager and their care workers often asked them informally if they were happy with the support provided. One person who used the service commented, 'I am highly delighted with the care provided.'

Is the service responsive?

We saw, and were told, that people's needs had been assessed and where necessary a review of their care plan had taken place so it could be updated to reflect their changing needs.

People told us they knew how to make a complaint if they needed to. No-one raised any issues with us saying they were very happy with the personalised service provided. When we looked at complaint and compliments records we saw no complaints had been received but numerous thank you cards and letters had been submitted. One person commented, 'They are absolutely marvellous, the manager is always asking if there is anything that can be improved and she is always on the end of the phone if you need her.'

Is the service well-led?

There were systems in place to gain people's views. When we asked people if there was anything they would like to improve they all said they were very happy with the care they received and could think of nothing they would change. One person said, 'They are brilliant. We have had bad experiences in the past but I am so satisfied with this agency.' When we asked people if there was anything they would like to improve no-one raised any issues.

Staff told us they were very happy working for the agency and raised no concerns. They said they felt valued and supported by the manager.

We saw the company had policies and procedures in place to inform people who used the service and to guide staff. However not all policies were being followed. For example as highlighted above the staff induction policy had not been adhered to, which meant there was no written records to show what support and training had been provided.