All inspections: Crossroads Care In Norfolk

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.

This was an announced inspection. A previous inspection to this service had been completed in January 2014 and the service was found to be meeting the requirements of our regulations.

Crossroads Care in Norfolk provides support to carers of vulnerable children and adults. The service provided by care staff gives the carer a break from their caring role. It offers care and support to approximately 50 people in and around Dereham in Norfolk.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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.

People told us they felt safe and well cared for by a team of staff who had worked with them for a long time.

Records showed that staff went through robust procedures to ensure they were suitable to work with vulnerable people.

Risks were assessed and acted upon to reduce or remove the risk. We had not received any safeguarding or whistleblowing concerns.

The CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).

Training was provided or planned for all staff and specialist training was given prior to specialist care being provided to ensure staff were skilled and able to do the job required.

We found the service offered care and support to people that was kind, caring, compassionate and respectful. Most people using the service could not find any fault with the care and support provided. They told us that they had received the same carers for a number of years who knew them well.

Family members were happy with the care provided but some told us the care plans were not up to date and that there were problems on occasions when contacting the office which sometimes caused problems when trying to change the care required.

Improvements were required on the methods used for communication in the office with answer machine messages not always acted upon.

The systems used for reviewing individual people’s needs required improvement to ensure the current information was recorded and that care provided was suitable.

People using the service were asked their opinion on the quality of the service and action was taken on areas requiring improvement. Complaints were dealt with and although some people did not know how to complain said they could find out if they had a complaint to make.

This inspection on 24 January 2014 was a follow up to check this service had improved in the methods they used on supporting and appraising staff and methods on the monitoring of the service provided.

We found that improvements to supervisions and appraisals for the staff team had taken place. Records were available and staff comments were seen. A computer system was about to be updated with the information that would improve further the systems used.

The monitoring of the service provided was being carried out by staff and about to be supported by trustees. Computer information would state when reviews were due. With more personnel available to assist with auditing and monitoring, the service should have a safer and more robust checking system on the quality of the service provided.

For this inspection we spent time in the Dereham office looking at records and talking to staff. We visited four people receiving support from this service and spoke with nine people on the telephone.

We were told by one person, 'I cannot fault the way the care staff speak, assist with whatever I need and respect my wishes throughout.' Another said, 'I have nothing but praise for the care staff. They do whatever I wish, treat my house respectfully and are very flexible with the kind of support I need.' One family carer told us that they knew and trusted completely the staff member who spent hours with their loved one to give the family a break from caring.

Although people we spoke with were positive about the care they received from the staff we could not be assured that the correct care support and any assessed risks were up to date. This meant that the support people received could potentially be unsafe. All the people spoken with who were using the service had not had their care needs reviewed. Care plan records had not been updated both in the individual's homes and in the office. This could mean people were at risk of unsafe or incorrect care and support.

The care staff numbers and skills to meet the needs in the community were suitable for the people using this service. The administration and management support was not. Although we were told by people and their carers the office staff were always polite they were not always available when contacted. Staff were not receiving supervisions, both in the workplace or office, and no appraisals had been completed for nearly two years. This could lead to unsafe practises

People were asked their views on the service provided but no evidence could be found to show the responses had been analysed. No action had been taken. Completed surveys dated up until May 2013 were placed in a drawer and found only on our request. This told us that views and opinions were not acted upon when requests for people's views were made by the provider.

We had not received any complaints about the service provided.

People who received care and support from this service now had records placed within their homes that should be relevant and up to date. This would ensure that accurate information would protect people from the risks of unsafe care and support that was being offered.

Throughout this inspection we received positive comments from the people who used this service. We were told how courteous, kind and supportive the staff team were. We were given numerous quotes such as, 'The care worker is brilliant,' 'I would not swap my worker for anything,' and 'This service is excellent we are treated as an individual, not a number like other agencies.'

People told us they felt safe and well cared for.

We were told the care workers knew what to do and that the agency supported them with training and regular meetings.

30 People who had complex needs told us the care staff had a good period of time to get to know them.

People were asked their opinion of the service annually and all the comments on the quality assurance surveys seen for 2011were positive.

Archived: Crossroads Care In Norfolk

All Inspections

16 July 2014

During a routine inspection

24 January 2014

During an inspection looking at part of the service

8 October 2013

During a routine inspection

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

10 August 2012

During a routine inspection