Archived: Age UK Darlington - Bradbury House

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and on-going monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

At this inspection we found the service remained good.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Age UK Darlington on our website at www.cqc.org.uk'

There is a registered manager in post who has managed the service since November 2017. This is a different registered manager from when we previously inspected the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the registered provider.

Recruitment processes were robust, which helped the employer make safer recruitment decisions when employing new staff.

There were systems in place to reduce the risk of abuse and staff were confident about reporting concerns.

Personal and environmental risks were assessed to ensure people could be supported in the restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Incidents and accidents were monitored and action was taken to reduce risks.

Staff had undertaken a range of training that met people's needs. Staff were supported to develop their knowledge and skills.

People were supported to lead healthier lives and maintain appropriate diets. This included receiving information about other services which could promote their health and wellbeing.

People told us they found staff caring and that care was delivered in a way that maintained their privacy and dignity. Staff also told us they felt that they worked in a caring and supportive environment where people were respected.

We found the service had a strong focus on supporting people to be as independent as possible and policies and practices supported this.

People's needs had been assessed before their care package started and, where possible, they or their relatives had been involved in formulating their care plans. Staff worked with other healthcare professionals to ensure people received a seamless service that met all their needs.

The people we spoke with told us they knew how to raise any concerns and said they felt comfortable doing so. Procedures were in place to record and investigate any concerns or complaints.

People were consulted about their satisfaction with the service and told us they were happy with the services being provided. We were told that people using the service and staff had good relationships with the management, who were accessible and approachable.

The management team regularly checked the quality of the service with a view to continuous learning and improvement.

Age UK Darlington Bradbury House was last inspected on 15 October 2013 and was found to be compliant with the required regulations.

The service is registered to provide personal care to people in their own homes. The service currently delivered a bathing service to 17 people to enable them to have a shower or bath in their own home.

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. At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

There was a robust recruitment procedure in place to protect people from cared being delivered by unsuitable staff.

The provider had in place clear guidance to staff regarding gifts and gratuities to prevent people from being placed at risk of financial abuse.

People’s consent was obtained by the provider to provide personal care.

The service had health and safety related procedures, including systems for reporting and recording accidents and incidents. The care records we looked at included risk assessments, which had been completed to identify any risks associated with delivering the person’s care.

People told us when they raised any issues they were dealt with promptly and professionally and everyone we spoke with knew how to speak to the management team at the office if they had any concerns.

People, their relatives and other professionals told us the service was caring. People told us they were treated with dignity and their privacy was respected.

People we spoke with who received personal care felt the staff were knowledgeable, skilled and their care and support package met their needs. People who used the service and their relatives told us that they had a small team of staff, who were reliable and arrived when expected. Staff confirmed that they were not rushed and had time to provide the care people expected.

The provider had in place a statement of confidentiality and staff we spoke to understood the statement.

The provider had in place arrangements to gather information about people before they visited people to assess their needs before delivering the service.

Care plans were reviewed on a regular basis with people who were in receipt of the service.

The service had comprehensive systems to ensure staff were appropriately trained and supported. The service was introducing the Care Certificate for all new staff and staff also had training in dementia care and all were Dementia Friends (this is a scheme run by the Alzheimer’s Society to help people understand about living with dementia).

The service had health and safety related procedures, including systems for reporting and recording accidents and incidents. The care records we looked at included risk assessments, which had been completed to identify any risks associated with delivering the person’s care.

There was a good quality assurance system in place to ensure the service and staff were checked regularly for quality and safety. There were regular staff meetings and incidents and accidents were monitored and reviewed promptly by the registered manager. Age UK Darlington also ensured that people who used the service were contacted on a regular basis to check if the care they received met their needs and they were happy with the service.

The service provided the same carer for each visit where possible and informed people in writing if there was to be a change. People we spoke with said they liked that they had a consistent person who they could develop trust and a relationship with.

Staff were recruited safely and there were policies in place regarding recruitment and equal opportunities.

People's needs were recorded in a person centred manner and areas of risk were clearly identified. Records were held securely in the service and were reviewed on a regular basis which included asking people about their view of the service.

We spoke with five people using the service. All of whom were very positive about the bathing service and the staff team. Comments from people about the service included; 'It's nice to have the same person each week', 'I could not criticise anything about the service' and 'The whole thing is done very professionally'.