7 and 8 October 2015
During a routine inspection
We carried out an inspection of Crossroads Care North West-Hyndburn on 7 and 8 October 2015. This was the first inspection that had been carried out at this service.
Crossroads Care North West-Hyndburn is a domiciliary care agency. The service provides practical and emotional support in the form of a respite service to carers who are supporting adults with care needs. Care staff visit people’s houses so that the carer can have a break from their caring responsibilities. The agency’s office is located in Chorley in Lancashire. At the time of the inspection the service was providing support to 64 people.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post. 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.
During our inspection people told us they always felt safe. They said, “I always feel safe when the staff are moving me” and “They make me feel safe and I know that I can rely on them”. Relatives told us, “My mum’s health and safety are looked after” and “My wife’s always kept safe”.
We saw evidence that staff had been recruited safely and received an appropriate induction and training. They had a good understanding of how to safeguard vulnerable adults from abuse and what action to take if they suspected abuse was taking place.
People told us that staff always arrived on time and stayed as long as they were supposed to. They told us they were always supported by the correct number of staff.
There were appropriate policies and procedures in place for managing medicines and people told us they received their medicines when they should.
People receiving support from the service told us the staff were able to meet their needs. They told us, “I’ve no complaints whatsoever. I wouldn’t change anything” and “The staff are great, they know what they’re doing”. One relative told us, “The staff have the right skills and training to look after my mum”.
We found that staff were well supported. They received regular supervision and completed a variety of training. They told us communication between staff and people and their carers was good.
Staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and we saw evidence that where people lacked the capacity to make decisions about their care, their relatives were consulted. However, we noted that mental capacity assessments were not completed when appropriate.
We looked at how the service supported people with eating and drinking. The people we spoke with told us that when staff prepared food for them it was always the right temperature and was left within reach. They told us staff always offered them drinks and left a drink for them at the end of the visit.
People were supported with their healthcare needs and were referred appropriately to health care services. A community nurse told us that staff were caring and sought advice when they had concerns about people’s health.
The people we spoke with and their carers told us the staff were very caring. They said, “The staff are very good. They’re very caring. They don’t rush me”. One relative told us, “The staff are very caring. If my wife needs them to stay a bit longer they will”.
People told us staff respected their privacy and promoted their dignity and encouraged them to be independent.
We saw evidence that people’s needs were reviewed regularly. Where people were unable to contribute to reviews, we saw evidence that their carers had been consulted.
We saw evidence that the manager regularly requested comments and suggestions about the service from the people they supported. The feedback received was used to develop the service.
People told us they were happy with the way Crossroads Care North West-Hyndburn was managed. They told us, “The service is managed well. There’s nothing I would change”, “Crossroads is well managed. Any issues are resolved quickly” and “The management side is very good. Staff are observed regularly”.
We saw that the service had a clear statement of purpose which focused on the importance of providing carers with a break. The registered manager and the staff were clear about the aims of the service and their responsibilities.
We saw evidence that staff practice was observed regularly and checks were made of the care records they completed. These audits were effective in ensuring that appropriate levels of care and safety were maintained.