Archived: Chosen Services UK Limited

There were two people receiving the regulated activity of personal care at the time of our visit. We spoke with two relatives of people who used the service. We spoke with the provider and two members of staff. We reviewed care records for people who used the service and records relating to the management of the service, which included four staff files.

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes what people who used the service and the staff told us and the records we looked at.

Is the service safe?

The relatives we spoke with told us they felt their family member was safe with care workers. All staff had attended training in the past year, which included safeguarding vulnerable adults.

There were up to date care plans in place for each person and there was evidence potential or actual risks had been assessed and plans put in place to manage such risks. Care plans included details of health professionals involved in the delivery of each person's care.

Is the service effective?

People who used the service were involved in decisions about their care and support. Staff supported people and advised them, but allowed the person who used the service to make the final decision. A member of staff told us, "I check what my clients want every day." We saw records that staff were being observed by the provider to ensure they were caring for people with dignity.

Is the service caring?

Staff told us how they cared for the people who used the service, working to meet the needs of people as individuals. A relative told us, "They know what we want and they do it. They get on well with X." Another relative told us 'They are OK.'

Is the service responsive?

People's individual needs had been assessed by suitably experienced staff. The staff we spoke with were aware of the needs of people who used the service and how to meet their care needs. The relatives we spoke with told us they were aware of how to make a complaint. The provider told us no complaints had been received in the past year.

Is the service well-led?

Staff told us they had regular meetings with the provider during spot checks. Written feedback had not been obtained from people who used the service in recent years; however there was a telephone monitoring system in place to get verbal feedback every three months.

We found that checks were carried out on staff before they began working with vulnerable adults. These included employment references and Criminal Records Bureau checks. Staff had an induction program in line with 'Skills for Care Common Induction Standards'. Staff told us they had regular training, and we saw certificates for this.

Relatives told us that the manager regularly contacted them to monitor the quality of service provided. One relative said "we keep in contact at least every other week. She (the manager) calls to see how things are." We saw records that showed the manager regularly contacted people to monitor the quality of service provided.