Archived: Right at Home (Chorley & West Lancashire)

' Is the service safe?

' Is the service effective?

' Is the service caring?

' Is the service responsive?

' Is the service well-led?

This is a summary of what we found -

Is the service safe?

It was clear from looking at staff files and speaking to staff that inductions took place. The induction process took place both in the office and by shadowing more experienced staff when visiting people who used the service. All four of the staff we spoke to said that they felt the induction process was a useful one and it prepared them for their caring role.

Is the service effective?

We spoke to three people who used the service and three family members of people who used the service. They were all complimentary about care staff and some of the comments we received were as follows;

"There is one particular lady who comes at the moment who is fantastic but everyone who comes is very good, we are very lucky."

"The staff who visit (Name) understand their condition and tailor the care to suit them. Everyone (staff) is very proactive."

Is the service caring?

We were told by the provider's management team that following the initial assessment carers and people using the service would be matched in terms of personality and gender preference. Were possible two care staff would be introduced to people using the service prior to the care package starting. All the people we spoke to told us that they were never sent a care worker that they had not been introduced to before.

Is the service responsive?

We spoke with four members of care staff. All of the staff we spoke with knew what to do in the event of an emergency situation such as not being able to enter a person's home or finding someone who has fallen or was unwell. We were shown policies at the registered office to back emergency procedures up such as an out of hours policy and handover procedures. Staff we spoke with were able to clearly explain what support they provided for the people they visited.

Is the service well-led?

People who used the service and relatives we spoke to were happy with the communication from the office. Comments included, "The office staff are very helpful and we can always ring them." "The office staff do listen to you." "I know if I have a query or concern I can ring the office and they get things sorted."

We looked at outcomes 1, 4, 9, 12, 16 and 17. We found that compliance was achieved with these outcomes.

People said that they were able to influence and determine their care and that they decided on how their care was delivered.

People told us their care arrangements were flexible to support their needs and as a result of support from the agency their health had improved.

People told us that they were supported to manage their medicines and these arrangements suited their needs and circumstances.

We saw that staff were recruited appropriately and as a result people were protected from unsafe care.

We saw that there was a complaints procedure in place and people knew how to use it and who to speak to if they were dissatisfied with their care.