Archived: Allied Healthcare - Ormskirk

Allied Healthcare (Ormskirk) is located in the town centre. There is ample space to facilitate meetings, private interviews and staff training. There is a public car park in very close proximity to the agency office. At the time of this inspection the service was supporting 90 people in the community and 42 care staff were appointed.

Agency workers provide personal care and domestic duties for people who live in their own homes, so they are able to remain in the community for as long as possible. Good support is provided by the administrative staff working in the agency office. Allied Healthcare (Ormskirk) is owned by the Allied Healthcare Group Limited and is inspected by the Care Quality Commission.

An announced visit to the agency office was conducted on 9th April 2015 by two inspectors from the Care Quality Commission. We gave the registered manager two days’ notice of our planned inspection. This was so that someone could be available to access all the records we needed to see. One of the inspectors spoke with seven people who used the service or their relative by telephone and visited six people within their own homes. All comments received were, in general positive. One person told us, “Usually, the same carers come and I am very fond of them. I am more than happy with the service I get.” A relative commented, “The carers always ask how you are. They are genuinely interested in you, if you know what I mean.” One member of staff commented, “I really enjoy my job. After a while the people we come to see become part of your lives.” Another told us, “Everyone in the office is so supportive. If you need anything you can ring or go in (the office) and they are there for you. They always listen to what we have to say.”

The registered manager was on duty when we visited Allied Healthcare (Ormskirk) agency office. She had been in post for ten years, but had worked for the company previously for nine. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated regulations about how the service is run.

Medications could have been managed better. The MAR (Medication Administration Record) charts did not always accurately reflect medications people were prescribed, in relation to the name of the medication, the dosage and the time it needed to be taken. We found hand written entries on the Medication Administration Records (MARs) had not been signed, witnessed and counter signed, in order to reduce the possibility of medications being transcribed incorrectly.

Records showed new staff received a good induction and that staff were regularly observed at work by supervisors. The staff team were well trained and those we spoke with provided us with some good examples of modules they had completed. Regular supervision records were retained on staff personnel files and annual appraisals were evident.

Staff were confident in reporting any concerns about a person’s safety and were aware of safeguarding

procedures. Recruitment practices were robust, which helped to ensure only suitable people were appointed to work with this vulnerable client group.

The planning of people’s care was based on an assessment of their needs, with information being gathered from a variety of sources. Evidence was available to show people who used the service or their relatives, had been involved in making decisions about the way care and support was being delivered. However, the plans of care could have been more person centred in some areas.

Regular reviews of needs were conducted with any changes in circumstances being recorded well. Areas of risk had been identified within the care planning process and assessments had been conducted within a risk management framework, which outlined strategies implemented to help to protect people from harm.

Complaints were well managed and people were enabled and supported to make choices about the care they received. People we spoke with were very complimentary about the care workers and the management of the agency. Everyone felt the agency was well run and that staff were well supervised.

People were supported to maintain their independence and their dignity was consistently respected. People said staff were kind and caring towards them and their privacy and dignity was always respected. Staff spoken with told us they felt well supported by the manager of the agency and were confident to approach her with any concerns, should the need arise.

We found that the service was in breach of regulations under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 in respect of medication.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this report.