Network Healthcare Professionals Limited - Liverpool

Everyone being supported by Network Healthcare Professionals Limited received ‘personal care’. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspects community based services where people are receiving support with ‘personal care’ such as help with tasks relating to personal hygiene and eating. We also take into account any wider social care being provided.

The inspection took place on 11 and 12 July and was announced.

At the last inspection, in November 2015 the registered provider was rated ‘Good’.

At this inspection we found the registered provider remained ‘Good’.

There was a registered manager for the service at the time of the inspection. A registered manager is 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

All care files contained individual care plans and risk assessments which were regularly reviewed and updated in order to minimise risk. Staff were familiar with the care needs of the people they supported and were aware of the different levels of risk that needed to be robustly managed.

The appropriate risk assessments and behavioural management plans were also in place for people who presented with complex behaviours.

Staff were familiar with safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures. Staff explained how they would raise their concerns and who they would raise their concerns with. Staff had also received the necessary safeguarding training and there was relevant safeguarding and whistleblowing policies and procedures in place.

Medication was administered safely by staff who had received the appropriate training. Medication policies provided up to date and relevant guidance and staff expressed that they were suitably trained to administer medication to people who required support. PRN medication protocols ('As and when' medication) needed to be reviewed and updated. The registered manager was responsive to the feedback we provided regarding PRN protocols.

Recruitment processes were in place and the registered provider ensured that staff who were employed were suitable to work with vulnerable adults. Disclosure Barring and System (DBS) checks were conducted prior to employment commencing and also on an annual basis.

Accidents and incidents were appropriately managed by the registered provider. All necessary records were updated and the appropriate measures were put in place to mitigate risk.

The registered provider operated within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act, 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). People were involved in the day to day decisions in relation to the care and support provided.

Staff were provided with the necessary training. The relevant training enabled them to provide the care and support that was expected.

Staff explained that they received support from the registered provider on a daily basis and the registered manager operated an ‘open door’ policy.

People were effectively supported with their nutrition and hydration needs. People’s nutrition and hydration needs had been appropriately assessed and the correct measures had been implemented to safely monitor and mitigate risks which had been identified.

We received positive feedback about the quality and provision of care. Relatives told us that staff provided kind, caring and compassionate support.

Confidential and sensitive information was safely stored at the registered address and was not unnecessarily shared with others.

Care plans were person-centred and contained relevant information in relation to a person’s wishes, choice and preferences. This level of information enabled positive relationships to be developed and staff provided support that was specifically tailored to each person.

The registered provider had a complaints process in place. Complaints were responded to and managed in accordance to the policy. Relatives expressed that they would be confident complaining to the registered manager if they ever needed to.

Quality assurance systems were in place. We were provided with a variety of different audits and checks that helped to asses, monitor and identify any developments and improvements which needed to be made.

The registered provider was aware of their regulatory responsibilities and understood that CQC needed to be notified of events and incidents that occurred in accordance with the CQC’s statutory notifications procedures.

Care plans were written in a person centred style, recording the person's likes and dislikes, preferences in daily living, and what was important to the individual. Detailed reports were written by support workers at the end of each shift. Care plans had been reviewed monthly or more frequently if required.

The agency only recruited experienced care staff and nurses. Personnel files showed that appropriate checks were undertaken before staff began work. Records we looked at showed that 'minimum training' in subjects including moving and handling, fire safety, food hygiene, health and safety, infection control, basic observations, safeguarding, mental capacity and medication was provided for all staff and updated annually. A family member said that the agency had 'gone to great lengths' to find the right staff to provide support for their relative and the staff were all 'very good'.

A high standard of record keeping helped to ensure that people were protected from the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care and treatment.

This relative expressed great satisfaction with the service provided to their family member saying they were 'amazed' at the way they had been treated. They were complimentary about the care staff telling us that they 'have enough experience' and that they 'have handled the situation very well'.

We looked at a care plan and found it to be comprehensive and appropriate to the services provided.

We looked at the provider's policies, practices and training for safeguarding people from abuse, recruitment and handling complaints and found them to be satisfactory.