16, 23 May 2014
During a routine inspection
Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, speaking with people using the service, their relatives and the staff supporting them, and from looking at records.
If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.
Is the service safe?
Before anyone received care from the service they were visited in their own home and their needs were assessed, which meant the staff knew how to care for the people who used the service.
The provider had a safeguarding adults policy and all staff were trained in safeguarding and knew what to do if they witnessed anything that caused them concern. The provider also ensured that relevant recruitment checks took place before staff began working for Boltonshaw Care Ltd.
People we spoke with told us they felt safe and comfortable with their care workers. One person told us 'Very, very safe. I am thrilled to bits with them.' Another person told us 'Oh yes, they are like part of the family.'
Is the service effective?
Each person had individual care plans which set out their specific needs and people had been involved in the assessment and planning of their care. People we spoke with told us they were involved in the planning of their care and were receiving the care they needed and wanted.
We saw that support plans and risk assessments were up to date and reflected people's individual needs. Staff training had been planned around people's specific needs.
Is the service caring?
People were supported by suitably trained staff and we saw that care records were accurate and up to date. The assessment, planning and delivery of care and support was centred on the individual and considered all aspects of their individual circumstances.
People and their relatives told us they were happy with the care provided by Boltonshaw Care Ltd. One person told us 'They are like part of the family.' A relative told us 'There is one carer who goes in most of the time, which is good.'
Is the service responsive?
People were asked their views via annual surveys and regular visits from the provider and other senior staff. We saw that action had been taken where issues had been identified.
We asked people whether they had ever made a complaint. One person told us, 'I would find it very hard to find any fault with them.' Another person told us 'No. I just say can you help me with this and they do.' A relative told us, 'We had one minor complaint about the timing of visits but they put it right straight away.'
Is the service well-led?
The provider gathered information about the quality of their service from a variety of sources. Care records, including care plans and risk assessments, were regularly reviewed and each care record included a quality control sheet that was validated by the branch manager.
Staff supervisions and observations regularly took place and staff meetings were regularly held to keep staff up to date with any new issues or changes within the organisation.
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. The provider told us that an application to register the new manager would be submitted as soon as possible.