Archived: Crossroads Care Cumbria

Updated 21 November 2014

We carried out this inspection on 24 July 2014 and the inspection team consisted of the lead inspector for the service and an Expert by Experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. Our expert had experience in the care of older people.

Prior to the inspection visit we gathered information from a number of sources. We looked at the information received about the service from notifications sent to the Care Quality Commission by the registered manager. Prior to our visit we had received information from the provider which enabled us to focus on the areas of the inspection we wished to look at in detail.

This report was written during the testing phase of our new approach to regulating adult social care services. After this testing phase, inspection of consent to care and treatment, restraint, and practice under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) was moved from the key question ‘Is the service safe?’ to ‘Is the service effective?’

The ratings for this location were awarded in October 2014. They can be directly compared with any other service we have rated since then, including in relation to consent, restraint, and the MCA under the ‘Effective’ section. Our written findings in relation to these topics, however, can be read in the ‘Is the service safe’ sections of this report.’

We contacted external agencies who also had dealings with the service to ask their opinion about the care and support provided. These included a social worker and a locality lead from adult social care. During our visit we spoke to a senior sister from one of the district nursing teams.

We spoke to four members of staff, 15 people by telephone and visited three people in their own homes to ask their opinions of the care and support provided by Crossroads Care Cumbria.

We reviewed the care records of five people who used this service, one of which was in relation to the support provided to a young child. We saw that the information contained in the records was up to date and provided the staff with sufficient information to meet all the assessed needs.

Updated 21 November 2014

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 and to pilot a new inspection process being introduced by CQC which looks at the overall quality of the service.

There was a registered manager in post on the day of our visit.  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 provider.

The inspection team consisted of one inspector who was supported on this inspection by an Expert by Experience. This is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who has used services that provide care and support for older people with a variety of needs.

Crossroads Care Cumbria provides support to carers who care for a relative/friend in their own home. It gives carers a chance to take some time for themselves and have a break from their caring responsibilities. This includes children, older people, people living with dementia and people who have physical disabilities. It provides a flexible service around the needs of the people supported and their main carers.

At the time of our inspection the service provided support for 74 people across all areas of Carlisle, Penrith and other parts of the Eden valley.

This was an announced inspection that took place on the 24 July 2014 during which we spent time with the registered manager and two members of the administrative team. We visited people three people in their own homes, contacted other people by telephone and spoke to members of the support staff team. During our visit we spoke to a senior district nursing sister. Prior to our visit we spoke to the locality lead and a social worker from Carlisle Adult Social Care.

At the last inspection visit in January 2014 we found that this service met all the national standards we looked at. Since then there have been no incidents or concerns raised that needed investigating.

As part of our inspection we spoke to three people in their own homes and 15 people by telephone. They all told us they felt safe when being supported by staff from the agency. Many people had visits up to three hours in duration which gave them opportunity to get to know their carers well.

Relatives told us they never worried during the periods of respite as they knew their family members would be safe whether the support was provided in the community or in people’s own home.

Staff had completed training in adult protection and training in the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. There were procedures to follow if staff had any concerns about the safety of people they supported. Safeguards were in place to protect people who may not have the capacity to make decisions for themselves. Staff told us they would not hesitate to report any concerns to the registered manager or the care managers if they saw or heard anything that could put people at risk.

Crossroads Care Cumbria provides support and respite to people who have the main responsibility of caring for relatives. People and their relatives were very much part of the care planning process and were involved in planning their care and support to be provided. This was reflected in the care records we looked at. Each person had been fully assessed prior to the service starting and the information obtained during the initial assessment formed the basis for the individualised plan of care. Staff were given sufficient information in each care plan to provide the appropriate level of care.  All care plans were kept under constant review in order that changes could be acted upon as soon as they were noted.

The service worked well with external agencies such as social services, mental health professionals, district nurses and the GP service to provide appropriate care to meet people’s physical and emotional needs.

We looked at the administration of medicines and found that all staff had completed training in safe handling of medication. However, not all people required assistance with medication because they lived with their family or family members took responsibility on their behalf.

We saw there was sufficient staff employed to maintain the required level of support. The registered manager confirmed that before any new service started new staff were employed and had completed their induction. Training in all aspects of care was up to date with copies of certificates in each staff file.

All staff were supported by the management team through regular staff supervision and appraisals. Procedures in relation to recruitment and retention of staff were robust and ensured only suitable people were employed by Crossroads Care Cumbria.

Although the registered manager was responsible for two agencies she had a high profile within the service. The agency also employed, as part of the management team, care managers who were responsible for a team of carers and also for monitoring the quality of the care and support provided.