At our previous visit in May 2013 we found that not all of the recruitment information required by regulation had been sought for all staff. We asked the agency to send us an action plan to tell us how they would address these issues. We received the action plan within the agreed timescale. When we carried out this follow up visit on 8th November 2013 we found the agency to be fully compliant in relation to recruitment checks.
We asked the people we spoke to if staff asked their permission before carrying out the care and support tasks, and they told us they did. Comments included 'Yes, they do ask permission. They are very good.' People told us that, in the main, staff did what it said in their care plan. One person added 'And they will do extra if you ask them.'
People who used the service and their relatives confirmed that they felt safe in the hands of care staff from this agency, and this included one person who said 'I've no doubt at all that my relative is safe.' Those people who had assistance with their medication had no concerns about how this was working. One person told us 'Medication is always done properly.'
On the overall quality, people told us they were satisfied with the support they received. One person told us that one member of staff came and checked that the service was working well, and looked at 'the paperwork' in their home to make sure it was properly completed.
They told us staff were respectful towards them and comments included 'Yes, lovely people' and 'They treat me very well.'
People told us that, in the main, staff did what it said in their care plan. One relative said 'Yes, they do over and above what is in the care plan.' Whilst the feedback we received was all positive, looking at the care records at the agency we noted that some care reviews were overdue, and there were some shortfalls on record keeping that the manager said was being addressed.
People confirmed that they felt safe in the hands of care staff, and they told us that staff appeared to be well trained for the work they were doing. One person added 'They are very, very good.'
Those people who had assistance with their medication were pleased with how this was working, though when we reviewed the medication arrangements we noted some minor shortfalls.
On the overall quality of the service, one person's relative told us they had been using the service for a number of years, after several other agencies had been tried first. They were pleased with the care provided by this agency and described the overall quality as 'Excellent.' Others said they were 'Quite happy with the quality of the service, and with the care staff.'
Most of the people we spoke with knew how to make a complaint but had not had to make one.