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Archived: Allied Healthcare - London Bridge

Suite 24-26 The Hop Exchange, 24 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1TY (020) 7089 4210

Provided and run by:
Allied Healthcare Group Limited

All Inspections

11 July 2012

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an inspection of Allied Healthcare London Bridge on 4 April 2012. The inspection was to see whether they had made improvements in four of the essential standards of quality and safety where concerns had been identified at our previous inspection on 22 August 2011.

At our April 2012 inspection, most of the people we spoke with told us that they got a good standard of service and received the care and support they needed. These views were borne out by some of the evidence we collected and we found that some of the concerns we identified previously had been addressed. However, in medication management and records, we found that the provider was still not meeting the standard required. To protect the health, safety and welfare of people using this service we took enforcement action by issuing warning notices to the provider.

In response to our enforcement action, the provider sent us an action plan to tell us what they were doing to make improvements. We visited the service on 11 July 2012 to see whether they had made these improvements.

On this occasion we did not speak with people who use the service to obtain their further views about the care and support they received. The focus of our inspection was on the completion of medication records and record keeping generally. However, we were contacted by one of the local authority commissioners of the care services provided by the branch who, following our previous inspection, had issued the branch with an improvement plan to secure improvements to meet its own quality standards. The authority told us that at their last monitoring visit in June 2012, they found that the branch had vastly improved.

At our latest inspection we found that the provider had made significant progress in implementing its action plan to address the concerns we identified previously. Further work was ongoing to ensure these improvements were sustained but the provider was now meeting the essential standards of quality and safety.

4 April 2012

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an inspection of Allied Healthcare London Bridge on 22 August 2011. At that inspection most people we spoke with told us that they were happy with the service provided. However, some people told us that there had been occasions when care workers arrived at different times to those agreed and that their regular carer was not always replaced when they were unavailable.

Our report of the previous inspection identified some concerns in the care, treatment and support provided by Allied Healthcare London Bridge. Overall we found the agency was not meeting four of the essential standards of quality and safety.

Following the inspection, the organisation provided us with an action plan to tell us what they were doing to make improvements. We visited on 4 April 2012 to see whether they had made these improvements.

During our recent inspection most of the people we spoke with told us that they got a good standard of service and received the care and support they needed. One person said 'I couldn't ask for more'. Another said that 'talking to the carers is like speaking to my own daughters'.

We found that some of the concerns we identified previously had been addressed. However, in medication management and records, we found that the provider was not still compliant with the regulations.

22 August 2011

During a routine inspection

We contacted people who used the service and also some of their relatives by telephone in order to obtain their views about the service that they received from Allied Healthcare London Bridge.

People using the service told us that they had discussed their needs and agreed with Allied Healthcare how the help and support they required and wanted would be provided. They were happy with the service provided and also told us their support workers kept them well informed of anything that might affect the care they receive.

Some people told us that their care workers were usually prompt and that they were told if they had been delayed and would be late. Some others told us that there had been occasions when care workers arrived at different times to those agreed and that their regular carer was not always replaced when they were unavailable.

Staff told us they were provided with the support and training they needed to meet the needs of people using the service.