Archived: First Class Home Care

At the time of this inspection the agency was providing care for one person. We looked at their care records, spoke with their lead carers, the Local Authority and the manager of the agency. We were not able to speak directly with the person because of their complex needs, so we spoke with a member of their family.

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes what people using the service or their relatives and the staff told us, what we observed and the records we looked at. If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.

Is the service safe?

People we spoke with told us they were confident about the service provided. They told us that their family member received safe and appropriate care and that risks to their health and welfare were appropriately managed. They told us, "I feel (relative's name) receives very good care.'

Safeguarding procedures were in place and staff understood their role in safeguarding the people they supported. Staff were aware of the provider's whistle blowing policy.

Staff knew about risk management plans and we found people were supported in line with those plans. This meant people were cared for in a way that protected them from harm.

The provider had appropriate recruitment systems in place to ensure staff were of good character and fit to carry out their role.

Systems were in place to make sure the manager and staff learned from events such as accidents and incidents, complaints and checks made on the service. This reduced the risk to people and helped the service to continually improve.

Is the service effective?

Written feedback and comments from people showed that staff knew people well and understood their care and support needs. Staff had received relevant training to meet the needs of people in their care.

Records showed that staff had received guidance and the management support they needed to do their job effectively. There were arrangements in place that ensured staff had up to date information about people's care needs. This meant that staff had a good knowledge of care needs and preferences and were able to provide effective care.

Is it caring?

People we spoke with were very positive about the service. One person told us, 'We are very happy with the service provided'.

Staff we spoke with demonstrated kindness and compassion for the people they supported.

People's preferences, interests and diverse needs had been recorded and care and support was provided in accordance with their wishes.

Is the service responsive?

Care records confirmed that people's preferences and wishes had been identified, recorded and reviewed.

People's care plans were re-assessed regularly and specific changes were put into place where necessary.

The provider had a complaints procedure in place and had an awareness of their responsibilities for recording and dealing with complaints. People knew how to make a complaint if needed. At the time of our inspection the service was not dealing with any complaints.

Is the service well-led?

At the time of our inspection, a registered manager was not in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service and shares the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law with the provider. During the inspection the agency manager confirmed their intention to apply to CQC as registered manager of the service.

The provider had quality assurance and risk management systems in place which were managed effectively. This meant that the agency manager had a good oversight of the quality of the service provided.

Staff told us they were clear about their roles and responsibilities and understood the quality assurance and risk management systems. This helped to ensure that people received good quality care. Staff told us the service was well organised and they felt supported by their manager.

We looked at people's care plans and daily notes and saw that not all of their care needs had been identified.

Staff had a good understanding of safeguarding and how to report concerns appropriately.

Staff received regular training and updates. Staff told us they were well supported by the organisation.

There was a system in place to monitor the quality of the service provided.

We spoke with two staff and a relative about the care and support that had been provided. The relative told us, 'I feel at ease now knowing that the staff are there to care'I know it's early days but I rate the care being provided as ten out of ten.'

We looked at the arrangements that were in place to ensure people who used the service were protected. One care worker we spoke with understood their responsibilities and were clear about the action they would take if they ever had any concerns about the welfare of the person who used the service.

We looked at recruitment processes which showed that appropriate measures had been taken to ensure that staff were safe to work with vulnerable people. The training records showed that staff had been provided with opportunities to develop skills and competencies to carry out their roles safely.

We discussed the arrangements that were being put in place to monitor the quality of the service being provided. Although the contract had been in place for a short while, a number of review activities had taken place. This ensured the person who used the service, the relatives and the care workers were satisfied with the provider's approach.