All inspections: Chorley and South Ribble Crossroads Care

We spoke with three people who used the service during this inspection. The feedback we received was all very positive and everyone we spoke with expressed satisfaction with all aspects of their support. Comments made included:

'We find them (the staff) utterly reliable and caring.'

'I would use it as a model for other agencies to aspire to.'

'It is an excellent service and the staff are trained to excellent standards.'

We also viewed results of surveys carried out by the agency and noted very high levels of satisfaction. One person who responded to the survey wrote, 'We appreciate the continuity of staff. A bond develops as they get to know the person they are caring for, their habits, preferences etc. So much more a personal service.'

During this inspection we assessed standards relating to the care and welfare of people who used the service and procedures for protecting people from cross infection. We looked at how the service selected and recruited staff. The areas of quality assurance and complaints management were also inspected. We did not identify any concerns in the areas we assessed.

People who used the service were very complimentary about the service they received. One person said, 'The carers are very good, and I have the same carers every time. This is good because I know them and they know me.'

People who used the service told us they were involved in planning and reviewing their care and said they would be listened to. We found that care plans with clearly written goals and instructions were in place. These gave a good picture of how people wanted their service to be provided. One person said, 'I have a care plan at my house. They do an assessment every six months and a review to see if there are any changes.' Another person said, 'I feel in control of my care. The staff respect my privacy and treat me with dignity and respect.'

There were systems in place to protect people from the risk of abuse or unsafe care. People who used the service told us they knew how to raise any concerns and to give feedback about the service. One person said, 'The staff ask for my views on the service and I can contact the office at any time if I had any concerns.'

We found that staff were trained to do their job properly and they said they felt supported by their manager.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality and suitability of the service.

We received feedback from Lancashire County Council's contract monitoring team before our visit. They said they had no concerns about the service.

People spoken with who use the services confirmed staff were knowledgeable and they had the utmost confidence in their abilities. The service was reviewed on a regular basis by telephone or by face to face meetings and a full review took place every twelve months.

One person spoken with who had been supported by the agency for the last 4 years stated that the service was 'excellent' and they had never been let down which was 'very reassuring'. Another person had been receiving the service for the past 18 years. Staff helped her care for her daughter who was physically disabled and they received a visit every day. All through the snow and ice of the winter, staff had not missed a visit.

All the people spoken with knew how to contact the agency and had been provided with information about how the agency operated. The care plan is devised according to their wishes and they sign the care plan to confirm agreement with the care and assistance to be provided.

At the commencement of service, information is provided about safeguarding and the prevention of abuse to vulnerable people and whom to contact in the event of any suspicion of abuse.

One person was provided with help in order to care for her daughter. Staff were providing specialised medication assistance having been trained in the procedure by health personnel. This ensured that the same staff who provided personal care provided the medication assistance, continuity was maintained with a familiar face.

There was no specialised equipment being used in the homes of the people contacted, but the people spoken with had every confidence in the staff if the use of such equipment was necessary.

There was a high satisfaction with the reliability of the staff. People spoken with had never been let down by the agency and knew who was coming via the weekly schedule provided to them for the week ahead. Staff work as a teams where several daily visits are required and all the staff were competent and experienced. One person spoke of her relief at having found an agency that had not let her down. The service had commenced recently and her mother required care support three times a day; she had previously been let down by other homecare services.

There was extreme satisfaction with the service and complete confidence in the staff working for the agency including the registered manager. People using the service are asked to express their views on how the service is to be delivered and are at the centre of the planning process. The registered manager or other management staff had frequently telephoned them to ensure the service was appropriate and was being delivered satisfactorily.

People were aware of how to make a complaint but had never had to do so. They were sure however that if they did have any concerns they would be taken seriously and they knew who to contact.

Archived: Chorley and South Ribble Crossroads Care

All Inspections

6 February 2014

During a routine inspection

14 February 2013

During a routine inspection

24 January and 3 March 2011

During a routine inspection