Archived: Watford Office

There was a manager in post who had registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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.

People were supported by Watford Office to live in their own homes with staff that lived in to support people’s needs. People were given the opportunity to meet the staff before agreeing to their support.

People felt safe, happy and were looked after in their homes. Staff had received training in how to safeguard people from the risk of abuse and knew how to report concerns both internally and externally. Safe and effective recruitment practices were followed to help ensure that all staff were suitably qualified and experienced.

Staff completed regular health and safety checks that included security and fire safety.

Relatives and healthcare professionals were positive about the skills, experience and abilities of staff who worked in people’s homes. Staff received training and refresher updates relevant to their roles and had regular supervision meetings to discuss and review their development and performance.

People were supported to maintain good health and had access to health and social care professionals when necessary. People were supported with shopping and meal preparation.

Staff made considerable efforts to ascertain people’s wishes and obtain their consent before providing personal care and support, which they did in a kind and compassionate way. Information about local advocacy services was available to help people access independent advice or guidance.

Staff had developed positive and caring relationships with the people they supported and clearly knew them well. People were involved in the planning, delivery and reviews of the care and support provided. The confidentiality of information held about their medical and personal histories was securely maintained throughout their home/in the office?

Care was provided in a way that promoted people’s dignity and respected their privacy. People received personalised care and support that met their needs and took account of their preferences. Staff were knowledgeable about people’s background histories, preferences, routines and personal circumstances.

People were supported to pursue social interests and take part in meaningful activities relevant to their needs, both at their home and in the wider community. They felt that staff listened to them and responded to any concerns they had in a positive way. Complaints were recorded and investigated thoroughly with learning outcomes used to make improvements where necessary.

Relatives, staff and professional stakeholders were complimentary about the manager and how the service was run and operated. Appropriate steps were taken to monitor the quality of services provided, reduce potential risks and drive improvement.