All inspections: Westminster Homecare Limited (Havering/Barking & Dagenham)

Since the inspection that was carried out in January 2014 the provider and senior staff at the agency have worked hard to ensure that they met the standard relating to people's safety and care by investing in reviewing all care plans and needs assessments. This meant that people could be sure that staff were knowledgeable about their care needs and would deliver care that was safe and appropriate to each individual.

During our inspection we spoke with 20 people who used the service, three relatives of people using the service and five members of staff including the manager.

People told us they were treated with respect and dignity. They told us care workers gave people options and choices and addressed them in an appropriate manner. One person said, 'I've got no complaints. I've got excellent carers.'

People's care was discussed with them regularly. However we found some care plans had not been reviewed within the last year. There were suitable arrangements in place to ensure people using the service were safeguarded against the risks of abuse.

There were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs. Staff received appropriate professional development. They were able to obtain further qualifications relevant to their job. Staff were supported in their work through supervision meetings, annual appraisals and team meetings.

There were quality monitoring processes in place. People were asked for their opinion of the service through telephone spot checks, reviews and a yearly survey. People understood how to complain and any complaints were addressed appropriately.

We carried out a themed inspection looking at domiciliary care services. We asked people to tell us what it was like to receive services from this home care agency as part of a targeted inspection programme of domiciliary care agencies with particular regard to how people's dignity was upheld and how they can make choices about their care. The inspection team was led by a Care Quality Commission inspector joined by an Expert by Experience who has personal experience of using and caring for someone who uses this type of service.

We used telephone interviews and home visits to people who use the service and to their main carers, a relative or friends to gain their views about the service.

We visited four people in their own homes on 17 July 2012. The people we visited in their own homes were able to communicate clearly and express their views about the care they received. An Expert by Experience carried out telephone interviews with 12 people and their relatives using the service.

People who used the service and their relatives told us that the staff spoke to them in a polite and respectful manner and called people by their preferred name. One person told us when we asked about their care worker 'she is like one of the family' and they had 'no problems with the company.'

People said that their privacy and dignity were respected by staff. One person told us the way their was privacy respected was satisfactory.

Archived: Westminster Homecare Limited (Havering/Barking & Dagenham)

All Inspections

During a check to make sure that the improvements required had been made

21 January 2014

During a routine inspection

17 July 2012

During a themed inspection looking at Domiciliary Care Services