There were close working relationships with the local authority and we noted that there were systems in place to help monitor the quality of the service. When we spoke with staff members they were knowledgeable about safeguarding procedures and there were up-to-date policies to guide them in most areas of their work. There was evidence of good practice in relation to medication administration.
The files for the people who used the service showed that care plans were completed and risk assessments were undertaken. We noted that the agency had a staffing structure and systems in place for updating and monitoring of care plans. People who used the service and records indicated that care workers were matched to people by taking their preferences such as gender and culture into account. This ensured people received care that reflected their wishes and met their needs.
The recruitment processes of the agency were robust and each care worker was vetted and trained. This ensured that the people who used the service were safe.