The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: Portsmouth Community Care Services DCA

Block E, Ground Floor, Holbrook Court, Cumberland Business Centre, Northumberland Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO5 1DS 0333 321 8818

Provided and run by:
Mears Homecare Limited

All Inspections

29 November 2012

During an inspection looking at part of the service

In this report the name of a registered manager appears who was not in post and not managing the regulatory activities at this location at the time of the inspection. Their name appears because they were still a Registered Manager on our register at the time of this inspection. We have advised the provider of what they need to do to remove the individual's name from our register.

At our last visit to the agency in August 2012 we spoke to people who used the agency. All of the people we spoke with were happy with the service that the agency provided. People told us that that they had regular staff who supported them. We were told that staff were normally punctual and stayed the correct length of time.

We also spoke with members of staff. They told us that they had regular people who they visited. They also told us that they were given a rota of their care calls each week so that they knew what they were doing in advance. This meant that if there were any conflict or difficulties in meeting their allocated care calls they could inform the office to sort out any problems.

6 August 2012

During a routine inspection

We spoke to three people who used the agency and three relatives of people who used the agency. All of the people we spoke with were happy with the service that the agency provided. People told us that that the staff who supported them were normally punctual and stayed the correct length of time. They said staff were friendly and cheerful and always treated them with dignity and respect.

One person told us. 'I have regular carers who support me and they are very good'. Other comments from people included: ' The girls that support me are brilliant, I can not fault them' 'The staff always have a smile and are friendly and cheerful'

Two people told us that communication with the office could be improved. For example one relative told us that they had specifically requested that they be informed of the names of staff who were supporting their mother. The person told us that despite calls to the office this had not happened. None of the people we spoke with had made any complaints but they all said that they were aware of how to complain and were confident that any complaints would be dealt with appropriately.

We spoke with six members of staff. They said that they were well supported by the agency and that they were provided with the training and information they needed to support people effectively

26 March 2012

During a routine inspection

Following the visit to the agency office we telephoned five people or relatives of people who use the agency.

People said that their privacy and dignity was respected by staff and that staff generally knew how to care for them. People did say they were not always informed beforehand if a new carer would be attending with their main carer. They understood the need for new staff to complete shadow shifts but would have liked to have been told when this was to happen.

People also said that they usually had the same care staff member or team of care staff. People did say that staff were not always punctual and they were not always aware of which staff were coming to care for them. People said this was more of a concern if their usual carer was on holiday or unavailable for another reason. People told us that their usual carer came at 8am however their calls had been much later up to 10am when their usual carer had not been available. They had not known who, if or what time someone was coming. People told us the agency did not supply rotas to inform them who was coming to care for them.

People told us that they had a care plan and were involved in reviews every six months or so.

People said that if they had any problems they would raise these with the manager or staff. People said that when they had raised concerns in the past these had been sorted out to their satisfaction.