Background to this inspection
Updated
11 November 2014
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 was meeting the regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and to pilot a new inspection process under Wave 1. Our inspection team was made up of two inspectors and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Before this inspection we reviewed information we held about the service. At our last inspection in January 2014 we did not identify any concerns with the care provided to people.
We sent out surveys to people who used the service and staff to gain their feedback on the service provided. We only received responses from three staff.
We visited the service office on 14 and 15 April 2014. During day one of the visit we spoke with the registered manager, the operations support manager, the regional quality lead and three field care supervisors. We also looked at people’s care plans and other records relating to the management of the service. On day two of the office visit we continued to look at records, spoke with two further staff members and made four home visits to people who were using the service. On two of these visits we also spoke with relatives.
Following the visit we contacted 12 people who used the service, seven relatives/representatives and six staff members by telephone.
Updated
11 November 2014
Allied Healthcare Gravesend provides care and support to people in their own home. It provides nursing and personal care to mainly older people and some younger adults. It can also provide a “live in” service.
When we visited there was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and shares the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law with the provider. The registered manager provided good leadership and support to staff. The service had systems in place to monitor the standards of care and support that people received. This ensured that people received care and support that met their needs.
The service had systems in place to keep people safe. Risks associated with people’s care and support had been identified during assessments, the level of guidance to keep people safe varied, but there was adequate, to ensure risks were managed safely and consistently.
People had been involved in developing their care plan and had signed to show their agreement with its content. Care plans showed the tasks staff were required to undertake, but the level of detail about people’s choice, preferences and independence skills in relation to their personal care routine varied, to ensure people received a consistent approach to their care and support.
People were treated with kindness and respect. People told us their preferred name was always used by staff and this was recorded in their care plan.
People we spoke with told us they were able to make their own day to day decisions about their care and support. Staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Living Safeguards, but in discussions staff were not aware of what process would be put in place to support a person to make decisions in their best interests. The service had policies in place so that where people were unable to make more complex decisions and this was reported, it would be managed in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.