2, 3 July 2014
During an inspection looking at part of the service
We found that the provider was meeting all the minimum standards that were inspected.
We considered our inspection findings to answer questions we always ask;
Is the service safe?
Is the service effective?
Is the service caring?
Is the service responsive?
Is the service well-led?
This is a summary of what we found.
Is the service safe?
Staff had received training on safeguarding people from abuse and demonstrated their understanding and the processes that needed to be followed in order to protect vulnerable people. People's needs had been assessed and monitored; care documents reflected people's needs and provided care staff with clear information on how to safely care for people. Risk assessments had been put in place for people and staff were aware of the risks and how to manage them.
Is the service effective?
People told us that staff were "a delight" and that the care they received was "excellent" and that they "couldn't ask for better". Staff told us that they felt supported and were able to put people's needs first. We were told that training was good and staff were able to support people well. We saw that the care plans were regularly reviewed and contained detailed information about the person and their needs. This meant that staff were kept aware of people's needs and were therefore able to provide the correct care and support. Regular spot checks were carried out on staff, this allowed for staff to be assessed on the care that was provided and for the provider to identify any further training needs.
Is the service caring?
People told us that staff were polite and caring. One person we spoke with said that they had no complaints and that staff "give a lot of help". People said that the staff were flexible around people's needs and if they required changes to the their care for the day or times then staff would accommodate the changes. Staff told us the care that they provided to people was 'person centred' and that they would always protect people's privacy and dignity.
Is the service responsive?
Care plans and risk assessments were reviewed regularly and any changes required were made quickly and staff were made aware of the changes. People told us that staff were quick to adjust people's care times to suit their needs and would not rush the care that was being provided.
Is the service well-led?
The provider had recently under gone a change to its management structure. Staff told us that they did not have any issues with the way the service was led; but that the recent changes and the continued changes had made them feel less supported but that this was mainly due to the recent changes in the organisation. Staff we spoke with told us that they received a good amount of training prior to starting work and that their competencies were regularly assessed.