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Archived: Total Home Care Solutions Bedford

67 Harpur Street, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 2SR (01234) 262323

Provided and run by:
Total Home Care Solutions Limited

All Inspections

25, 28, 29, 30 April 2014

During a routine inspection

During this inspection, we gathered evidence against the outcomes we inspected to help answer our five key questions; Is the service caring? Is the service responsive? Is the service safe? Is the service effective? Is the service well led?

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, speaking with people using the service and relatives, the staff supporting them and from looking at records.

If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary please read our full report.

Is the service safe?

Most people told us that they felt their rights and dignity were respected. Systems were in place to make sure that managers and staff learn from events such as accidents and incidents, complaints, concerns, whistleblowing and investigations. This reduces the risks to people and helps the service to continually improve.

Staff knew about people's needs and risk management plans. Systems were in place to ensure people had their medication when they needed it, and in a safe way.

Records we looked at were up to date and held securely.

Is the service effective?

People's health and care needs were discussed with them. Everyone had a care plan, and those we looked at were clear and detailed. Most people said that their care plans were up to date and reflected their current needs.

The provider had recently made changes to improve the level of service provided to people. Most people we spoke with acknowledged the changes and thought once these were fully embedded, these would be for the better.

Is the service caring?

We spoke with eight people being supported by the service or their relatives. We asked them for their opinions about the staff that supported them. Feedback from most people was positive, for example; 'most of the girls are smashing', and '[the staff] all appear to know what they are doing.' Some people felt that further improvements were needed to care call times and consistency of staff allocated to them. People told us they really appreciated it when they had regular carers.

When speaking with staff it was clear that they genuinely cared for the people they supported. People's preferences, interests, aspirations and diverse needs had been recorded and care and overall support had been provided in accordance with people's wishes.

Is the service responsive?

People knew who to talk to if they were unhappy. Most people felt they had been listened to when they had raised concerns. One person told us that everything was 'brilliant' and if they ever had concerns, they brought these to the attention of staff in the office. They told us they had found that this had resulted in things being put right immediately.

Is the service well-led?

We found that systems were in place to monitor the quality of service provided to people. Records showed that identified problems and opportunities to change things for the better were addressed in a timely way. As a result the quality of the service was continuously improving.

Staff told us they were clear about their roles and responsibilities. They told us they felt well supported by office staff and senior management.

You can see our judgements on the front page of this report.

4, 5 December 2013

During a routine inspection

During our inspection on 4 and 5 December 2013, we spoke with six people using the service or their relatives; to find out if the care being provided by Total Home Care Solutions Bedford was appropriate for them. We also spoke with eight members of staff.

We found systems were in place to obtain consent from people in respect of the care and support provided to them.

The service also had systems in place to monitor the quality of service provided to people, and took steps to address areas of concern as they arose.

Suitable arrangements were in place to address people's comments and complaints, and ensure they were listened to.

The majority of people we spoke with were happy with the actual care they were receiving, but they expressed their dissatisfaction with the way care calls were being organised. They said this meant that care staff did not always turn up when they were expected.

People also shared their concerns about recruitment and retention of care staff at the branch, which one person described as 'unbelievably bad'. They said they lacked confidence in the overall service due to the number of care staff that had left, leaving the service short staffed. There was evidence that the provider had taken action to address this concern, but this had not yet brought about the required improvements.

8 August 2012

During a routine inspection

The people we spoke with told us they had their privacy and dignity well respected and were encouraged to be independent. They said they were able to make choices and decisions about their care and had their preferences respected. They said they were given information relating to their care by the service.

People who use the service said they had been asked about themselves and their needs when they started using the service. They told us that their needs were reviewed from time to time and that staff displayed an excellent understanding of their needs and how to meet them.

People said they felt safe being cared for by staff from Total Homecare Solutions Bedford. They said the staff were friendly and likeable and appeared experienced and qualified to carry out their roles. They said they felt the standard of care provided was very good.

The people we spoke with told us they received visits from senior staff who would ask for their feedback and opinions on their care. They said this made them feel listened to. They said they had no significant concerns about their care but were comfortable discussing any minor issues they had with the staff and managers and felt these were dealt with satisfactorily.

One person said of her experience with Total Homecare Solutions Bedford: 'They are a good and reliable service. I like what they do for me and think the staff provide my care well'.

24 February 2012

During a routine inspection

Overall, people we spoke with told us that they were happy with the service they were receiving.

They confirmed that they were treated with respect by their care workers and described staff as careful, good, respectful, helpful, friendly and efficient.

People told us that if they had needed to raise concerns about the service, they had been listened to and their concerns had been acted on to their satisfaction.

The majority of people we spoke with felt that the staff had the right skills to support them, but some did not.

People said that they would like their care to be provided by regular carers; not a number of different carers. They also told us that they would like to receive a call to tell them if their care worker was going to be delayed for any reason, which did not happen currently.