Archived: MRL Stockport

The summary is based on a visit to the service office where we looked at records and talked to the manager. Following the visit we contacted, by telephone, a sample of people who used the service and relatives of people using the service. We also talked to some care staff.

Is the service safe?

All the people we spoke with told us they felt safe when the care staff were in their homes.

We looked at staff records and saw evidence that some employees had not been appropriately recruited because all relevant safety checks had not been undertaken prior to them delivering care to people.

From information we hold on this service and from information gathered during this inspection visit we know that the registered person had not referred concerns to the local adult safeguarding teams in a timely manner. This means that any investigation into such concerns may be delayed and people left at risk. At the time of this inspection there were a number of ongoing safeguarding investigations being investigated by the local authority.

Risks to people, staff and the environment had been identified and care staff were given information on how to minimise these risks.

Is the service effective?

The manager told us that a service was provided on the basis of an assessment of the individual's needs and a written plan of care. People using the service, and when appropriate their representatives, had been involved in the drawing up the care plan.

People told us all their needs were met by the care staff.

People and their relatives told us they were very pleased with their care. One relative told us that the care staff had supported them through a difficult time as well as providing support to the person receiving a service. Some comments included: 'Overall we are very happy with the care,' 'I have a regular staff team and they usually arrive on time' and 'I like it that we have the same main carer and we get a phone call if the carer is going to be different.'

The care staff we spoke with told us that they felt supported by the manager.

Is the service caring?

People we spoke with told us they were happy with the care and support they received. Some comments included: 'They are respectful and treat me as an individual,' 'I get all the help I need and 99% of them are lovely' and 'They are very, very kind.'

The care plans seen contained details of the care needed at each visit. However, improvements could be made if they contained more details of people's personal choices and preferences about how they would like their care to be delivered.

Is the service responsive?

The manager told us that 'customer questionnaires' were due to be distributed to people receiving a service or their relatives in order to obtain their views and opinions about the service. We were told that the results would be analysed and a report produced.

Is the service well led?

We saw there was a complaints procedure in place and people we spoke with said they would feel able to raise any concerns they had. One relative we spoke with told us they had made a complaint and were satisfied with how it was dealt with and the outcome. However the records of complaints that we saw during this inspection visit were of poor quality. In one instance there were no details of who had raised the complaint, no details of the investigation undertaken, no outcome of the investigation and no evidence of feedback given to the service user or their family post complaint investigation. This means that people cannot be confident that their comments and complaints are listened to and dealt with effectively.

There were no consistent or effective quality assurance processes in place to continually check standards were maintained. This meant that poor or inappropriate practices may not be identified and people could be placed at risk.