The Care Quality Commission
  • Services in your home
  • Homecare service

Archived: Bideford

Unit 7, The Business Support Centre, Caddsdown Industrial Park, Clovelly Road, Bideford, Devon, EX39 3DX (01237) 426440

Provided and run by:
Comficare Limited

All Inspections

6 January 2014

During a routine inspection

We inspected the agency office at short notice and met with the registered manager, supervisor and care staff. We visited four people in their own homes and spoke with one relative.

On the day of our inspection visit, the total number of people being supported by the agency was 22 with 13 members of staff.

We looked at key documents including care plans, risk assessments, quality assurance and other records relating to the running of the service. This helped us make a judgement about how the service was run, how people were looked after and how it managed its overall business.

People were respected and involved in their care and treated as individuals. People told us that they were very happy with the care received and that the staff were "excellent", "very good - I feel safe" and "it's a pleasure to know them". Due to the small size of the service, staff knew all the people well and had developed good relationships with them. People told us they knew all the staff members and all said that they "know all of them" and did not mind which staff member came.

Records relating to the care planning and risk assessment were incomplete and inconsistent.

We found that not all the records relating to the running of the business were up to date and accurate.

26, 27 February 2013

During a routine inspection

We visited the office and met with the registered manager and looked at policies and procedures and care records. We visited six people who used the service, in their own homes. Some were with the relatives who were their informal carers. We spoke with one staff member and two health and social care professionals who had worked with people who used this service.

People told us that they found the staff to be competent and very caring. Staff arrived on time, and people knew who would be coming to provide their care.

Other professionals had observed that staff developed a 'good rapport' with people they worked with. People said, 'It's like the sun coming out. The staff couldn't be nicer'.

We found that care needs had been assessed and recorded, and that staff knew people's routines and the details of the support they needed and to which they had agreed.

We looked at how staff supported people taking their medication. Where this service gave support, the policy of the service was to only be involved when the tablets were provided by the pharmacy in monitored dose packaging to ensure safe administration.

We found that new staff were supported through their induction training and experienced staff encouraged to continue training to ensure the maintenance of good practice. The manager and senior staff were in regular contact with people to check whether everything was alright and offer the opportunity to share any concerns.

10 August 2011

During a routine inspection

We carried out a scheduled review of this agency, which included an unannounced inspection of the office and visited three people using the service. We spoke to five care workers and seven other people using the service over the telephone.

People who receive care and support from the agency were very positive about the way they were treated by care workers who support them. Comments included "on individual level the staff are very caring, very sweet and thoughtful" . People also felt that the agency is "very flexible" and "timekeeping is very good".

We saw that although plans of care were in place, they are not always person centred and do not give sufficient detail about individuals preferred routines to ensure consistent care is given.

We saw that there are clear gaps in supervision, appraisal and training for care workers. An area which people highlighted as an area for improvement was in customer services. For example, two people commented that "sometimes there is a lack of professionalism, for example a few bring their own problems to work with them and tell us, which we don't want to hear about". People also told us that experienced care workers are "excellent, know what they're doing" and "calmer and have a good attitude" whereas, "new carers come along and haven't got a clue" and "they don't have enough direction".

In terms of improving the quality of the service, people told us that the manager or supervisors sometimes "ring up and ask how things are going". Similarly, people felt able to ring the manager and ask for changes with comments like "all of my requests have always been listened to".