Archived: Social Care Solutions Ltd (Peterborough Office)

A registered manager was not in post. However, the manager had submitted an application to register with the Care Quality Commission. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.

Staff received training to protect people from harm and they were knowledgeable about reporting any suspected harm. There were a sufficient number of staff employed and recruitment procedures ensured that only suitable staff were employed. Risk assessments were in place and actions were taken to reduce these risks. Arrangements were in place to ensure that people were supported and protected with the safe management of medicines.

The CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. DoLS applications were being made to ensure that people’s rights were protected. Staff were supported and trained regarding the MCA

People were supported to access a range of healthcare professionals and they were provided with opportunities to increase their levels of independence. Health risk assessments were in place to ensure that people were supported to maintain their health. People had adequate amounts of food and drink to meet their individual preferences and nutritional needs.

People’s privacy and dignity were respected and their care and support was provided in a caring and a patient way

Sufficient numbers of staff were available and the appropriate recruitment checks had been completed to ensure they were suitable to carry out their role.

People’s hobbies and interests had been identified and they were supported to take part in a range of activities that were meaningful to them. People could raise concerns with the staff at any time. A complaints procedure was in place and complaints had been responded to, to the satisfaction of the complainant. .

The provider had quality assurance processes and procedures in place to improve, if needed, the quality and safety of people’s support and care. People and their relatives were able to make suggestions in relation to the support and care provided and staff acted on what they were told.

There were strong links with the external community. A staff training and development programme was in place and procedures were in place to review the standard of staff members’ work performance.

People's care plans were detailed and contained sufficient guidance and information that would allow any member of staff to care for that person. People's care plans were reviewed on a regular basis. People were supported to make choices such as what they wanted to eat but were also supported to maintain a healthy lifestyle. One relative told us that the care is fantastic and the staff are first class.

The provider shared people's care and support information but only where this had been agreed as part of people's care packages. People's care information was also shared between the provider's services. This meant that people were assured that their support would be provided through the use of consistent information.

The provider sought the views of people who used the service, their representatives, healthcare professionals and staff to ensure that people's care was based upon their most up-to-date information. Changes to people's care were made where this had been identified and also where an improvement in the quality of care provided was possible.

We found that people's plans of care were detailed, person centred and in a format that any member of staff or person who used the service could understand.

We reviewed staff training records and found that all staff were given training to ensure that their awareness of the safeguarding of vulnerable adults was kept up-to-date at all times and that appropriate support was provided to where staff required this.

We noted that the provider ensured that staff completed a comprehensive induction programme and ensured that they had the correct identity and criminal records bureau checks prior to staff commencing full time employment with the service.

We saw records where checks had been completed by the manager for things such as medicines administration, staff supervisions and staff training.