19 January 2012
During an inspection looking at part of the service
As part of the inspection we visited the agency's office, met with the registered provider and some of her staff and we spoke with people who use the service on the telephone.
People that used the service told us that the agency provided consistent care and they received a rota every week telling them who would be attending and at what time. People told us that the rota was very reassuring and was adhered to by the staff.
The manager told us they offered support to approximately 75 people and she confirmed the agency had suitable staffing levels and that the retention of staff has been excellent. We saw evidence that the service was constantly aiming to improve the service they offer and remain compliant with the CQC regulations.
People that used the service told us were very complimentary about the agency telling us:
'The staff are always on time, polite and the best agency we have had.'
'The senior staff at the agency checks the care records are written correctly and they meet with us every month to ensure we are happy. The staff are like our friends.'
'I would recommend the agency to anyone who needs care. They might be called angels but the staff are angels. They are very professional.'
People told us they could always speak with the manager or senior staff if they had a problem. They told us that from the initial visit they felt confident that the agency would meet their needs, and the care records and medication records were written up and signed daily and checked monthly. Each person had an assessment pack completed which included a personal history being taken, individual risk assessments being put in place and personal preferences being noted. One relative told us 'We are very happy with the care and the staff. They always turn up on time looking immaculate and happy. They are like our friends; they take time to chat and get to know the person which is very comforting. The records they keep are very good and they are personalised. I do recommend them to people as its so reassuring to get excellent attention when there is so much bad news out there about other care services.'
The staff told us that if they need further assistance from other members of staff it is always available and an on-call rota was printed off weekly. They told us they were confident about the management of the agency and appreciated the full induction when they were newly employed and they confirmed that they were very well supported and appropriately trained to do their job.
We saw that individual care plans and the assessment process had involved relatives and or their representatives; they confirmed that a pre-admission assessment had been completed. We saw that care plans and risk assessments were in place, were reviewed and where appropriate the person and their relatives were involved.