• Services in your home
  • Homecare service

Archived: Advantage Healthcare - Peterborough

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

1st Floor, Tesla Court, 6 Innovation Way, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE2 6FL (01733) 233323

Provided and run by:
Advantage Healthcare Limited

All Inspections

4 May 2018

During a routine inspection

Interserve Healthcare - Peterborough is a domiciliary care agency that provides personal care and support for people of all ages with complex health needs. The agency staff cover a wide geographical area from South Lincolnshire to Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire to Cambridgeshire. There were 24 people using the service at the time of our inspection.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of our visit. 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

There were usually enough staff and arrangements had been made to recruit further staff, which made sure there was cover for sudden shortfalls in staffing, such as sick leave.

Staff knew how to respond to possible harm and how to reduce risks to people. Lessons were learnt about accidents and incidents and these were shared with staff members to ensure changes were made to staff practice or the environment, to reduce further occurrences. Staff had been recruited properly to make sure they were suitable to work with people. Medicines were administered as prescribed and staff had guidance to do this safely. Infection control risks were reduced through the use of protective equipment.

People were cared for by staff who had received the appropriate training and had the skills and support to carry out their roles. Staff members understood and complied with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff supported people with their nutrition when they were unable to eat and drink. Staff followed the advice health care professionals gave them.

Staff were caring, kind and treated people with respect. People were listened to and were involved in their care and what they did on a day to day basis. People’s right to privacy was maintained by the actions and care given by staff members.

People’s personal and health care needs were met and detailed care records guided staff in how to do this. A complaints system was in place and there was information so people knew who to speak with if they had concerns. Staff had guidance if they needed to provide people with end of life care.

Staff worked well together and felt supported by the management team, which promoted a culture for staff to provide person centred care. The provider’s monitoring process looked at systems throughout the service, identified issues and staff took the appropriate action to resolve these. People’s views were sought and changes made if this was needed.

Further information is in the detailed findings below

24 November 2015

During a routine inspection

Interserve Healthcare - Peterborough is registered to provide personal and nursing care to people, including children, who live at home. The majority of the people live with complex health conditions. At the time of the inspection there were 19 people using the agency.

This comprehensive inspection took place on 24 November 2015 and was announced. This is the first inspection of this agency since Interserve Healthcare Limited became the registered provider.

A registered manager was in post at the time of the inspection. They had been registered since 15 September 2015. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the agency. 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 agency is run.

People were kept safe and staff were knowledgeable about reporting any incident of harm. People were looked after by enough staff to support them with their individual needs. Pre-employment checks were completed on staff before they were assessed to be suitable to look after people who used the service. People were supported to take their medicines if this was needed and medicines were safely managed.

People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts of food and drink. Their individual health needs were met.

The CQC monitors the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care services. People’s rights in making decisions and suggestions in relation to their support and care were valued and acted on. Assessments were in place to determine if people had the capacity to make decisions in relation to their care. When people were assessed to lack capacity, they were supported and looked after in their best interests. Requests for DoLS applications to be made to the Court of Protection had been made to the appropriate authorities to consider these requests.

People were looked after by staff who were trained and supported to do their job.

People were treated by kind, respectful and attentive staff. They and their relatives were given opportunities to be involved in the development of people’s individual care plans.

Care was provided based on people’s individual needs and they and their family members were supported to enable people to remain living at home. There was a process in place so that people’s concerns and complaints were listened to and these were acted upon.

The registered manager was supported by office based office staff and by the provider’s management and quality assurance teams. Staff were supported and managed to look after people in a safe way. Staff, people and their relatives were able to make suggestions and actions were taken as a result. Quality monitoring procedures were in place and action had been taken where improvements were identified.