Archived: Barnstaple

PO Box 165, Barnstaple, Devon, EX32 8YJ (01271) 346666

Provided and run by:
ECNA Limited t/a Elite Care & Nursing Agency

All Inspections

27 June 2011

During a routine inspection

During this planned inspection we went to the agency office at 14 Silver Street, Barnstaple on two days in order to speak to staff and to look at key records including plans of care, staff recruitment and training records. We also visited two people in their own home and telephone five others who receive a service from the agency. We asked commissioners for any comments about their experience of using the agency.

People we spoke to who use the agency told us that they were happy with the care and support they receive. They said that their package of care had been fully discussed with them and any changes were also discussed. They told us care staff treated them with respect and dignity and that they liked to have regular carers that understood their needs and routines.

We were told that plans of care are in place and that care staff record what help they have given each time they visit. One person told us that any changes to their regular care staff was discussed with them and that any issues or need for additional care could be discussed with the office staff.

One commissioner of the service told us that Elite 'appeared to be good at working with people with complex needs and that they had a bank of reliable staff to work with these people.'

We saw that staff had training and supervision to help them do their job effectively and staff told us that they felt well supported by the two administrators who run the office.

We saw that although recruitment records and checks were in place, it was not easy to follow the audit trail as the agency had recently moved from paper files to scanned electronic files. Not all of the required checks and references were scanned correctly. The agency have told us that measures have been put in place to ensure that this is audited.

Since this review of compliance has been completed we have been informed by the registered manager of the agency that they have ceased trading as of the 8 August 2011. We have informed them that they need to apply to CQC to formally de register the service.