Archived: Option One Care Limited

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes what people using the service, relatives and staff told us, what we observed and the records we looked at.

If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary, please read the full report.

We spoke with three people who used the service. We also spoke with the manager and three other members of staff. We looked at written records, which included copies of people's care records held in the office, staff personnel files and quality assurance documentation.

Is the service safe?

We saw that care plans and risk assessments were informative and up to date. Staff we spoke with were familiar with their contents, which enabled them to deliver appropriate and safe care.

People were protected by safe and effective recruitment practices. People were cared for by staff who were properly trained and supported to develop professionally.

Is the service effective?

People were treated with respect and were encouraged to promote their independence and community involvement.

People we spoke with were satisfied with the care and support they received and were complimentary about the care workers. This was consistent with positive feedback reported in the provider's own annual quality assurance survey. People were given information and support to help them understand the care and support available to them.

Is the service caring?

We spoke with three people who used the service. One person said to us, "The staff are really nice." Another person showed us their own fully en-suite flat and said to us, "This is my favourite house I have ever lived in. I'm happy now."

No one we spoke with raised any concerns with us. All interactions we witnessed between staff and people who used the service were encouraging and friendly.

Is the service responsive?

People were consulted about and involved in their own care planning and the provider acted in accordance with their wishes. Care plans and risk assessments were regularly reviewed.

Three staff members told us that the manager was approachable and they would have no difficulty speaking to them if they had any concerns about the service.

Is the service well led?

Staff said that they felt well supported by the manager and they were able do their jobs safely. The manager had a range of quality monitoring systems in place to ensure that care was being delivered appropriately by staff, that the service was continuously improving and that people were satisfied with the service they were receiving.

During this inspection on 13 November 2013, we found that the provider had made the required improvements.

Records we examined showed us that people were involved in the planning of their support and care. We saw that appropriate information about their care and support was in a format that met their needs. This helped enable the person to make informed choices about the support provided to them.

We found that there were detailed support plans in place to prompt staff to deliver safe care and support whilst maintaining a person's independence.

During our inspection the provider was unable to clarify how much medication was in stock. This meant that the medication stock level records were not accurately logged to ensure that people were protected against the misuse of medication.

Effective staff training was in place to make sure that people who used the service received safe support and care from suitable, skilled, and knowledgeable staff.

We saw an effective quality assurance system in place. This was because the provider undertook regular audits and surveys to monitor the quality and safety of the service they provided to people.

Records examined demonstrated to us that people were involved in the planning of their care and support. People were protected from the risks of receiving care and support that was inappropriate or unsafe.

The provider had taken appropriate steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent it before it occurred. Staff members we spoke with demonstrated to us an appropriate knowledge of safeguarding vulnerable adults policies and procedures.

The provider operated an effective recruitment procedure. This meant that people using services at Option One Care Ltd were cared for and supported by suitably qualified and trained staff members.

There was an effective complaints system in place so that people could make a complaint if they felt they wanted to.