Archived: Priory Home Care Service

Updated 19 February 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 20 January 2016 and was announced. The provider was given short notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be in.

The inspection team consisted of one inspector. Before the inspection, we reviewed the information we held about the service and notifications we had received. Notifications are forms completed by the organisation about certain events which affect people in their care. Before the inspection, we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the completed PIR and previous inspection reports.

We spoke with two people receiving a service, one family member, three members of staff, and the registered manager. We also reviewed the responses to a Care Quality Commission (CQC) survey and the survey responses sent out to people by staff at the agency. We reviewed three people’s care files, two staff recruitment files, four staff training records and records relating to the management of the service. Following our visit we sought feedback from social care professionals to obtain their views of the service provided to people. A social care professional provided information. We also contacted health professionals for their views but unfortunately they did not respond to our request for feedback.

Updated 19 February 2016

This inspection took place at the agency’s office on 20 January 2016 and was announced. The provider was given short notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be in. After the visit, we spoke with people using the service, staff and professionals working with the service.

Priory Home Care Service provides personal care to seven people who need assistance in their own homes. The provider, Whisselwell Care Limited, has appointed a registered manager who is one of the owners. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they 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 felt safe and well supported by staff. Staff were reliable and did not miss visits. Senior staff only accepted referrals when staff were available to meet people’s needs. Recruitment was well managed. Staff helped keep people safe because they knew their responsibility to report abuse in a timely manner. Staff knew the importance of infection control and safe medicines practice.

People were supported by regular staff who understood their care needs. This made them feel safe and reassured. The staff group was stable so people received consistent care from staff who knew them well. People’s comments included: ‘All the carers are very polite and discreet in what they do’, ‘I am very pleased with the girls I have’ and ‘all my carers are lovely, very friendly and helpful’. Our conversations with staff confirmed they had a caring manner and wanted to provide consistent care to people.

Staff were committed to providing flexible care, which was responsive to people’s changing needs. Staff knew when to report concerns and changes to people’s health and well-being. Staff knew people well so helped organise additional visits where people were unwell and were unable to attend their usual luncheon clubs.

Staff told us they had the right skills to deliver safe and good quality care. This was because they were supported by an induction and training programme, which was supplemented by supervision and team meetings.

There were effective methods used to assess the quality and safety of the service provided.