The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: Cheshire County Council Domiciliary Care

Carlton House, Lightfoot Street, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 3AD (01244) 977300

Provided and run by:
Cheshire West and Chester Council

Important: This service is now registered at a different address - see new profile

All Inspections

11, 13 November 2013

During a routine inspection

We looked at four support plans and other care records and people all had an assessment of their health and social needs completed. The documentation was up to date and reviewed on a monthly basis. People confirmed they were involved in the development of their support plans and that these were reviewed on a regular basis.

We looked at the management of medication and saw that the service had appropriate policies and procedures in place. Staff received annual training in medication and people who used the service confirmed that staff supported them with administration of medication.

We visited four people who used the service and one relative, and we spoke with six staff members. The Expert by Experience spoke on the telephone with 12 people who used the service and 5 relatives or main carers. All the people the expert by experience spoke with confirmed they were very satisfied with the service and that many of them who used the reablement service would have liked it to continue. The reablement service was a short term service of six weeks. After this time if support was still required then this had to be allocated to another agency.

People who used the service said: 'Personally I couldn't have got through the last few weeks without them', 'The staff go the extra mile', 'All the staff are very nice' and 'They are very professional.' All people who used the service and their relatives agreed that the carers turned up on time and stayed for the allocated length of time.

Staff commented: 'The training is good here', 'We have regular meetings', 'I think the support plans are easy to read and they are reviewed regularly' and 'I love my job. It's rewarding to help people get better.' All the staff said they got good support from the management team and that they had no concerns about the welfare of the people they supported.

We looked at staff recruitment and found that robust recruitment procedures were in place. We saw training records which showed good training was offered to staff.

We saw the complaints process and procedure that was used at the service. People who used the service confirmed that they didn't have any complaints and that concerns would be taken seriously by the staff team.

29 May 2012

During a themed inspection looking at Domiciliary Care Services

We carried out a themed inspection looking at domiciliary care services. We asked people to tell us what it was like to receive services from this home care agency as part of a targeted inspection programme of domiciliary care agencies with particular regard to how people's dignity was upheld and how they can make choices about their care. The inspection team was led by a CQC inspector and joined by an Expert by Experience who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of service.

We carried out 18 telephone interviews and four home visits to people who use the service and to their main carers (a relative or friends) to gain views about the service. We contacted the local authority that has a contract with the agency, and the local safeguarding adults team. We also spoke with the manager and five staff who work for the agency.

People told us that Cheshire County Council Domiciliary Care provided good quality care and offered a reliable service. People spoke positively about their care workers and felt they fully supported their care needs. People also said that their care workers spoke with them in a calm and respectful way.

People said that their care was personalised to their needs and their preferred names were used at all times. They also said they had been involved in discussing and reviewing their care with a supervisor from the agency. Comments included 'I was able to express my views as to what I wanted', 'I felt I was listened to', Always friendly ' even if they've been stuck in traffic' and 'I often hear a lot of laughing when my wife's being attended to. She's happy. They are happy.'

People felt that staff were well trained and understood their needs. They said they felt safe and if they had concerns they would speak with a family member, friend or somebody from the office. Other comments included 'The staff are lovely', 'I am treated with respect and dignity', 'Mum is treated with respect' and 'The staff are very kind.'

Staff commented that they enjoyed their work and that the support they get from the staff and management team is good. They also commented "The agency is good to work for. We keep peoples dignity in the way we support them and make sure that their choice is what they want to do. Confidentiality plays a big part in what we do", "One of the best parts of my job is getting people back on their feet" and "We promote peoples' independence by encouraging them to do what they can for themselves but by giving support with things that they have difficulty with."