The Care Quality Commission
  • Services in your home
  • Homecare service

Archived: Private Home Care UK Limited (Leicester)

38 Southfield Close, Scraptoft, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE7 9UR 0333 577 5077

Provided and run by:
Private Home Care UK Limited

Important: This service is now registered at a different address - see new profile

All Inspections

21, 22 August 2014

During an inspection in response to concerns

We recently undertook an inspection visit to 21 and 22 August 2014. We contacted 10 people who used the service and spoke with them or their relatives to find out their experience of the service. We spoke with six staff supporting people. We reviewed the recruitment and training records for thirteen care staff. We also reviewed the records in relation to the management of the service. We considered all the evidence we had gathered under the outcomes we inspected.

Is the service safe?

People using the service expressed no concerns about the care staff that helped them. Private Home Care UK Limited (Leicester) had a recruitment policy in place but the procedure was not always followed when new care staff were recruited. Proper checks were not always carried out on the applicant's background, qualifications and suitability to work with vulnerable people. That meant people were at risk of receiving care and support from care staff that may not be safe or suitable to work.

Is the service effective?

People using the service and their relatives of people whose family member used the service told us they were satisfied with the care and support they received. One person said 'My carers are always on time.' A relative whose family member receives care and support said 'Always the same carers, always on time and know exactly what to do. Never had any concerns that carers were not doing things properly.'

Care staff understood the needs of people they supported and told us that they could refer to the care plans kept in people's own homes.

Most care staff received appropriate induction and on-going training for their job roles but this was not the case for all care staff. Qualifications and training records were not up to date and did not reflect the training care staff had completed. There was no mechanism to ensure care staff were supported to keep their knowledge and practice up to date and their on-going development was supported by the provider. That meant people who used the service were at risk of receiving unsafe care and support because care staff's practices and training was not always monitored or received planned updates.

There were records available that showed staff received support through supervisions and appraisals.

17 October 2013

During a routine inspection

A person who used the service told us, "I have been involved in my care and so have my children. I know exactly what is going on. My care workers always ask my opinion and never do anything without asking me. The care is very good. They do what I need them to do. I have a team of carers.They are all nice." People who used the service told us it was important to them that the same care workers visited them. Relatives expressed how important it was that the service provided a team of care workers. One relative told us, "It is very important to my husband that he has a team of carers. The care is person centred. it is all about what my husband needs. The carers have been well trained." A relative of another person who used the service told us, "It is important that we've had the same care workers. They have got to know my mother and they know what to do because they are fully aware of her needs. I'm absolutely certain that they carry out all of the care routines." Relatives told us that they had been involved in decisions about care through regular contact with the registered manager. One relative told us, "I've had plenty of opportunities to give feedback, the manager regularly contacts me to ask for my views."

We found that people's care had been effectively planned and delivered. Care workers had received appropriate support and training to be able to meet people's needs. The service was well led, responsive and caring.

21 June 2012

During a routine inspection

We spoke to three relatives of people who used the service. All three people told us that they were very pleased with the quality of care their relatives experienced. Relatives told us that they and the people who used the service had been involved in the development and subsequent reviews of care plans.

Relatives told us:

"I'm very satisfied. It's the first time we have had an agency that sends carers at times we want. We have the same team of carers which has been very important to us."

"Private Home Care UK Ltd have fulfilled their promise to us. The carers are very thorough. I've been very pleased that they have put a set of carers in place so we know who to expect; that has been very important to my wife."

"The quality of care has been very good. The carers are always punctual. The manager has involved me in the care plan. They took the trouble to find out what my mother liked and disliked. The carers were introduced to my mother so that everyone could get to know each other. It's been important to my mother that she knows who to expect and that she has had the same carers visit her."