Archived: Allied Healthcare Paignton

People we spoke with and their relatives told us they felt that care workers treated them with respect, listened to them and respected their privacy and dignity. Comments included "they're all very nice' and 'care workers have got to know X really well, I can relax and leave them to it'.

People who used the service and their relatives told us they were very happy with the care they received. They said "I don't know what I'd do without them" and "they look after me very well'. We found the care plans contained enough detail so care workers knew how to meet people's needs.

We spoke with care workers who were able to tell us how they met people's care needs. We found that care workers received appropriate training and professional development so they could carry out their job role effectively. Staff knew how to report concerns to ensure people were protected from the risk of harm.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service provided. People were asked to give their views about the care and support they received. People told us 'I've got no complaints whatsoever' and 'nothing could be better'.

People who used the service or people acting on their behalf were able to make choices and decisions in relation to their care planning. Each person who used the service had a care plan which included instructions for staff to follow. This meant staff knew how to meet people's needs and preferences. One person we spoke with told us 'it's first class, they go out of their way to be as helpful as possible'. Another person said 'I'm really happy, it's just great'.

Comprehensive medication policies and procedures were in place to make sure people were protected. All staff had completed medication training.

Recruitment checks and training had been undertaken before staff began work to ensure people were supported by appropriate staff.

Quality assurance systems were used to assess and monitor the quality of the service. People who used the agency told us they were asked about the quality of the service. People told us that their comments were listened to and acted upon. People told us "there's nothing to complain about"; and "if I wasn't happy, I would say, they would sort it straight away."