8 February 2013
During a routine inspection
People spoken with told us that they felt well supported by staff. Each person said that the staff were always polite and respectful. One person said, "The staff are more like friends than carers." They added that they felt their care was "...a matter of routine. They know exactly what I want." One person told us they were "...very happy..." with staff. However, one person said, "My only concern is that they don't always stay as long as they should."
Two people recalled that someone from the agency's office came to see them to make sure that they were happy with their care. However, we found that there were no records showing the checks that were made about the quality of the care people received, or on the performance of staff while they were carrying out their duties.
Everyone spoken with said that they felt safe with the carers. A staff member spoken with was clear about the issues that would lead them to be concerned that someone may be being abused and about their obligation to report it. However, they were unsure where to find written guidance about this or contact details of the safeguarding teams. The provider told us about the training that was on offer to staff and supplied information about this. However, we found that staff were not sure where to find underpinning guidance about the agency's policies and procedures.