The Care Quality Commission

Archived: Custom Care (Bournemouth)

Unit 8, Churchill Court, 33 Palmerston Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH1 4HN (01202) 399669

Provided and run by:
London Care Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

2 November 2012

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out our inspection in order to follow up a compliance action made at a previous inspection on 27 June 2012. On that occasion we found that recruitment procedures were not sufficiently robust.

At the time of our inspection visit Custom Care (Bournemouth) employed 48 care workers to provide personal care and support to approximately 128 people living in their own homes.

On this occasion we did not speak with anyone who received a service from Custom Care (Bournemouth). We confined our inspection to examining the records of care workers who had been employed since our last inspection visit.

We found that there were effective recruitment and selection processes in place and appropriate checks were undertaken before staff began work.

26 June 2012

During a routine inspection

At the time of our inspection on Tuesday 26 June 2012, Custom Care (Bournemouth) (the agency) was providing personal care and support to 121 people living in their own homes. With their permission we visited six people who were receiving a service from Custom Care. We also telephoned another three people and spoke with everyone or their relatives about their experiences of the services they received from the agency.

Everyone we spoke with without exception expressed satisfaction with the service they received. They told us that care workers treated them with respect, promoted their dignity, encouraged them to be independent and provided them with all the help and care they needed. They said that the help they wanted was discussed and agreed with them. They told us that care workers were usually prompt and they received their help from a regular group of staff.

Most people told us that they were contacted either by telephone or received visits from staff from the office of Custom Care to check if they were happy with the service they received. They also told us that they knew of Custom Care's complaints procedure and what to do if they were dissatisfied.

We spoke with five care workers about the training they received and they told us they received training about among other things, safeguarding vulnerable adults, person centred care and managing medication.

31 January 2012

During an inspection in response to concerns

We carried out an inspection of Custom Care between 10:15am and 2:45pm on 31 Dec 2012 to follow up on the two improvement actions and one compliance action made at an inspection of the service earlier in the year, and to follow up on concerns raised through adult safeguarding procedures.

We visited the provider's offices and spoke with the manager, who has been in post since November, and one of the new supervisors, also recruited to work for the agency in November. We then visited and spoke with four people who have services provided by Custom Care, as well as speaking with two members of staff.

The people receiving a service from Custom Care told us that they received the help and support that they required from the care workers and that they had no concerns or complaints. They told us that they were assisted appropriately as agreed and documented within their care plan. They also said that the staff assisted them appropriately with their medication.

12 August 2011

During a routine inspection

We spoke to 16 people using the service provided by Custom Care (Bournemouth) ('the agency' ) or their relatives. We visited eight people in their own homes and we contacted eight people or their relatives by telephone.

We also spoke to eight care workers about their experiences of working for the agency.

Everyone told us that their care workers were polite and helpful and ensured that their dignity was promoted when they helped them with their personal care needs. They said that they received the help that was set out in their care plans and that they had been involved in agreeing the care that they received. They told us they were generally helped by the same group of care workers.

Most people we spoke to told us that care workers usually arrived around the time they expected them. They said that they were sent a list in advance advising them which care workers would be calling on them and at what time. Some people told us that the list was sometimes inaccurate because care workers had gone on holiday or were off sick and they had not always been informed of the changes that had occurred. A number of people told us that care workers had not always arrived at the times that they were expecting them but that in recent weeks this had improved.

Most people who we spoke to told us that care workers were competent and seemed well trained and they felt safe when they were receiving help. Others described the abilities of care workers as variable. People said that when care workers left their homes after helping them they always made sure that their premises were secure.

Some people told us that staff from the agency telephoned them to ask them if they were happy with the help they were receiving. Some people also told us they had been sent questionnaires to complete in order to obtain their views about the service.