The Care Quality Commission
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  • Homecare service

Archived: First Key Hereford

Overall: Outstanding read more about inspection ratings

13 Holmer Street, Hereford, Herefordshire, HR4 0HS (01432) 342402

Provided and run by:
Scope

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

8 September 2016

During a routine inspection

First Key is located in Hereford, Herefordshire. It is domiciliary care agency which provides support to people in their own homes. It supports people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, people living with dementia and people with mental health conditions. On the day of our inspection, there were 30 people using the service. Due to people’s complex needs, the majority of people using the service received 24 hour care from the provider and the average call length for people was eight hours.

There was a registered manager at this service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered providers and registered managers 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.

People were encouraged to take responsibility for their own safety and keeping themselves safe. People were made aware of their rights and what was acceptable and unacceptable treatment of them.

People were only cared for by staff they felt safe and comfortable with, and they were involved in decisions about who would the provider employed.

People were supported by a skilled and well-trained staff team. Staff used ongoing training to reflect on their practice and ensure people's health and wellbeing needs were met.

People were supported with eating and drinking and to maintain a healthy weight. Where there were concerns over people's health, specialist input was sought from a range of health professionals.

People's communication needs were known by staff and different communication methods were used to ensure people were involved in decisions about their care.

People were supported by a respectful staff team who enjoyed working with people and helping them to achieve their goals.

People's changing health and wellbeing needs were responded to. People's individual preferences were taken into account and used to tailor people's care to meet their needs.

People knew how to complain or provide feedback and were confident that action would be taken.

The provider's emphasis was on inclusion and valuing diversity, both in terms of people and staff. The provider promoted a positive image of disability and focused on what people could achieve.

Staff felt supported by the registered manager and provider, and felt a sense of pride about working for the organisation and in its values.

People were involved in the running of the service and in the day-to-day running of the office.

13 June 2013

During a routine inspection

People told us they received a good and reliable service from staff that were respectful, kind and caring. People liked being supported by only a small team of staff who got to know them well. Everyone had a care plan that was kept up to date.

The staff were suitably trained and supported in their work. They prided themselves that the service was given in a very flexible and personalised way. There were effective leadership systems in place to manage the care service and monitor health and safety risks.

3 May 2012

During a routine inspection

We visited the agency office in Herefordshire and met two people who lived nearby who were using the service. We talked to people about their experience of the care and service they received from the agency.

The registered manager told people who used the service and their families that we had inspected the service and some people gave us their views by email. We spoke to three of the care staff by telephone.

The two people we spoke to told us the registered manager took their views seriously and any comments they had raised had been listened to and acted on. They said they trusted the care staff and felt safe when they were in their homes.

People who used the service said that the agency had discussed their care plan with them and that they had agreed to the content. They told us that they had a copy of their care plan in their home and that care workers carried out the support agreed in a flexible and helpful way. They found the care workers were polite, kind and respectful towards them and they respected their dignity whilst they assisted them.

People who we spoke with and their relatives were all satisfied with the quality of the care staff employed by the agency. Some people had taken part in selecting the new care staff who then provided their support. One person told us, 'It let me choose the right person'.

One person told us, 'The manager and company are outstanding and the staff who support me are fantastic'. The person explained that although they had only 15 hours a week support, the registered manager had also supported them to address issues with the housing association that affected fire safety, suitable bathing equipment, the servicing of a communal stair lift, decoration, communal lighting and security.

One person's relative told us, 'Our daughter has been seriously ill over the last few months. We have never had any concerns about the care she receives from First Key staff who have been tremendously caring and concerned, often going the extra mile for her. We are confident that First Key staff will do all they can to ensure her health and well-being and we have every confidence in their care'.