4 September 2015
During a routine inspection
This was the provider’s first inspection following their registration with the Care Quality Commission. The inspection took place on 4 September 2015 and was announced. We gave the provider 72 hours’ notice that we would be visiting the service. This was because the service provides domiciliary care and we wanted to make sure staff would be available to speak with us.
Maybrook Platinum Care Services Ltd is a domiciliary care agency registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. The service currently provides care and support for 29 people, ranging in age, gender, ethnicity and disability. There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
Staff knew how to reduce the risk of harm to people from abuse and unsafe practice. The risk of harm to people receiving the service was assessed. However, not all the risk assessments were person centred. There was not enough information available to help staff support people, should that person develop symptoms, as a result of their illness. Where people required support with taking their medicine, there were procedures in place to ensure this was done safely. Although, the provider’s monitoring processes did not always identify recording errors had been entered on medicine administration records.
Although staff generally felt there was sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people’s needs; a number of staff had left the service. In addition, during periods of illness or annual leave, there was not always sufficient staff cover. This had led to occasions where staff were late attending to or missed their calls. The provider had procedures in place to recruit staff safely.
People felt safe and secure with staff coming into their homes and that staff had the skills and knowledge to care and support them. Staff felt trained and supported to care for people, although additional training was required in diabetes and pressure sore awareness. Where appropriate, people were supported by staff to access other health and social care professionals when needed. The provider was taking the appropriate action to ensure people who used the service, was not unlawfully restricted and had processes in place to protect people’s rights.
People felt that the staff were caring and treated people with dignity and respect. They felt staff promoted their independence, where appropriate and staff responded to their support needs.
People felt they could speak with the provider about their worries or concerns and most felt that they would be listened to and have their issues addressed.
The provider had internal quality assurance systems in place to monitor the care and support people received. However, the systems were not always effective in ensuring that action plans improved the quality of service people received. Therefore, the registered manager had started to review all procedures and drawn up a business development action plan. This plan was in place and the provider was in the process of addressing the areas in the service delivery that required development.