Archived: Signature Care Services Limited

Updated 10 March 2015

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 23 December 2014 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be in. One inspector carried out this inspection.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also reviewed the information we held about the home and looked at the notifications they had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law.

We spoke with five people who used the service by telephone. We spoke with three care staff and the provider. We sent questionnaires to people, their families and staff to ask for their views. Six people and three staff responded and the findings have been included in the report.

We looked at three records about people’s care, daily notes, charts about people’s medicines, staff training records, meeting minutes and quality audits that the registered manager and provider had competed.

Updated 10 March 2015

This inspection took place on 23 December 2014 and was announced.

Signature Care provides personal care for people in their own home. There were seven people using the service when we inspected and 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People were protected from the risk of potential abuse and told us they felt safe when the staff visited. People had their individual risks looked at and had plans in place to manage them. There were enough staff employed to meet people’s needs and call times as requested. People had looked after their own medicines; however staff would help when skin creams had been required.

Staff received regular training and were knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities. They had the skills, knowledge and experience required to support people with their care and support needs.

Staff knew the people they were supporting and provided a personalised service. Care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported and people were involved in making decisions about their care. People were supported to prepare their meals and to make healthcare appointments as required to meet their needs.

People received care from staff that who knew them. People felt the care they had received met their needs. They were also supported in maintaining their dignity and encouraged to be involved in their care needs where able.

The registered manager was accessible and approachable. People and staff felt able to speak with the management team and provide feedback on the service. The management team had kept their knowledgeable current and they led by example. The provider ensured regular checks were completed to monitor the quality of the care that people received and look at where improvements may be needed.