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Archived: Allied Healthcare - London South

Suite 30-33, The Hop Exchange, 24 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1TY (020) 7403 4888

Provided and run by:
Allied Healthcare Group Limited

All Inspections

13 November 2013

During a routine inspection

During the inspection visit we met with 14 people using the service. Afterwards we spoke on the telephone with forty people/relatives of those using the service,

Many people said that they received good care from their regular carers, comments we received about them included: 'she is really, really, good." and "she's an absolute gem."

Some people told us that they experienced difficulties when their regular carers were away. One person told us "A relief carer didn't turn up twice' and another person said "I wish they wouldn't say another carer is coming and no-one turns up."

People using the service and external professionals told of observing occasions when some care staff showed a lack of regard for people's dignity, and care staff were not given training on how to promote the dignity of people.

People who used the service were protected from the risk of abuse, because the provider had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening.

Care staff operating and delivering the service were not supported by the provider, to carry out their duties. . For example some staff had not received training on caring for people with dementia or providing a service aimed at rehabilitation.

People who use the service, their representatives were asked for their views about their care and treatment but they were not always acted on.

8 March 2013

During a routine inspection

We carried out an inspection of Allied Healthcare ' London South on 31 July 2012 when we found the provider met the four essential standards of quality and safety we inspected. It is our expectation that we will usually focus on one essential standard from each of the five key areas in our 'Guidance about compliance' every year. To achieve this in the area of personalised care, treatment and support, we carried out a further inspection on 8 March 2013 to cover, 'care and welfare of people who use services', a key outcome area.

People we spoke with told us they were involved in the planning of their care. They had discussed their care with the provider when it first started and staff from the agency visited regularly to review their needs with them.

The majority of people we spoke with said that their carers understood their needs and carried out their jobs confidently and competently. Their care workers turned up on time and they were informed if there was any delay. When they were there they stayed for the allocated time. When people had replacement care workers they said they were satisfactory. Two people had, however, experienced unsatisfactory service and the provider allocated them a replacement care worker who they were happy with.

People told us that they felt safe with their carers. If they had any concerns they knew who to contact at the agency.

We spoke with the local authority commissioner of care services for the service who told us that from their own monitoring care planning was satisfactory. There were ongoing concerns about the volume of safeguarding casework and complaints which had arisen following a significant increase in the number of people care was provided to in 2012. However, the provider had appointed a safeguarding lead to manage the service's input to casework. The service commissioner felt that this had improved matters considerably and had enabled quicker completion of case reviews, based on better more timely information and support provided by the branch's safeguarding lead.

31 July 2012

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an inspection of Allied Healthcare London South on 17 February 2012. The inspection was to see whether they had made improvements in six of the essential standards of quality and safety where concerns had been identified at our previous inspection on 7 September 2011.

At our February 2012 inspection, the people we spoke with told us that they got a good standard of service and received the care and support they needed. A social care professional who had raised concerns previously told us that from their own monitoring of the service they had found improvements in several areas but further work needed to be done in other areas. We found that some of the concerns we identified previously had been addressed. In other areas some progress had been made but further improvement was necessary, particularly in record keeping.

In response to our previous inspection, the provider sent us an action plan to tell us what they were doing to make improvements. We visited the service on 31 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 record keeping and the audit of records. However, we contacted one of the local authority commissioners of the care services provided by the branch who, following our previous inspection, had been carrying out regular monitoring of the service to secure improvements to meet its own quality standards. The authority told us that at their last monitoring visit in July 2012, they found that the branch had improved their medication management and record keeping systems.

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

17 February 2012

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an inspection of Allied Healthcare London South on 7 September 2011. At that inspection most people we spoke with told us that they were happy with the service provided. However, some raised concerns about the reliability of the service provided by the agency. One social care professional raised similar concerns, in particular about the weekend service provided by the agency and the support for vulnerable people with complex needs.

Our report of the previous inspection identified some concerns in the care, treatment and support provided by Allied Healthcare London South. Overall we found the agency was not meeting six 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 17 February 2012 to see whether they had made these improvements.

At this visit the people we spoke with all told us that they got a good standard of service and received the care and support they needed. The social care professional who raised concerns previously told us that from their own monitoring of the service they had found improvements in several areas but further work needed to be done in other areas. We found that some of the concerns we identified previously had been addressed. In other areas some progress had been made but further improvement was necessary, particularly in record keeping.

7 September 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 South.

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 care workers kept them informed of anything that might affect the care they receive.

Some people told us that their care workers were generally prompt. Occasionally they were late but the agency informed them of this. Some others told us that there had been occasions when their care worker arrived late or had not turned up at all and they had not been informed of the delay or reason for the missed appointment.

One social care professional told us that the agency provided a good service to people who used the service. Another told us that they had concerns about the standard and reliability of the weekend service provided by the agency, particularly for vulnerable people with complex needs.

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

Our report reflects the views people expressed but overall identifies some concerns in the care and welfare of people who use the services and their safeguarding, medication management, staffing, quality assurance and record keeping. Managers must take action to address these concerns to improve the standards of care.