Archived: Bigod Care Limited

Is the service safe?

Risk assessments regarding people's individual activities were carried out and measures were in place to minimise these risks.

People were protected against the risks associated with medicines because the provider had appropriate arrangements in place to manage medicines.

The provider was taking appropriate action to ensure that people's rights were protected by appropriate consideration and use of the Mental Capacity Act(2005).

Is the service effective?

We saw that members of staff had a thorough knowledge of people's individual health and wellbeing needs. People had a positive relationship with the staff who supported them.

The care and support plans were personal to each individual and were reviewed on a regular basis. Assessments of any potential risks to people had been carried out and measures put in place to reduce risks.

Staff told us they received a very good level of training and felt well equipped to undertake their role at the service.

Is the service caring?

The people we spoke with told us that staff supported them in a caring way. One person said, 'They are wonderful carers'. Another person said, 'The staff are absolutely brilliant. I can talk to them at any time."

Staff demonstrated a thorough knowledge and sensitive understanding of the needs of the people they supported.

People's privacy, dignity and independence were respected. People's views and experiences were taken into account in the way the service was provided and delivered in relation to their care.

Is the service responsive?

We saw that people's individual physical, emotional, psychological and social care and support needs were assessed and met.

Staff ensured they gained consent from people before they offered them care and support, and acted in accordance with their wished. One person said, 'Consent and respect, they are just the norm. Staff always ask me first.' Where people did not have the capacity to consent, the provider acted in accordance with legal requirements.

People's needs and care plans were regularly reviewed by the staff. Support plans included information on people's likes and dislikes and their preferences to ensure that care and support was delivered taking into account their preferences.

Is the service well led?

The service had a registered manager in place.

Staff told us they felt very well supported by the manager. They received frequent informal advice and support. They did not receive regular formal supervision and appraisals.

Staff felt well trained to safely do their job. They told us they enjoyed working for the service provider. One member of staff said, 'If I have any problems and I am unsure, I contact the office. They are always very helpful."

There was a clear complaints procedure in place. People told us they were confident to raise any concerns or complaints they had with staff and managers.

The provider had effective quality assurance and audit systems in place to monitor the service and ensure improvements were made where necessary.

We looked at four care plans and saw that people's needs were assessed and care plans were detailed and contained details of the care to be provided. Risk assessments were in place which assessed the risks and put in place procedures to ensure people were protected against receiving inappropriate or unsafe care.

However, we found that while the service assessed people's needs it did not have an effective process in place to obtain and record their consent for the care to be provided.

The service had an infection control policy and provided carers with sufficient disposable protective equipment.

We found that the service had installed a new computer system. The records on the computer in respect of people using the service and people employed by the service were comprehensive and up to date.

The manager told us that they regularly visited people who used the service to gain their views on the service. However, there was no formal system for recording or evaluating this information.

However, we found that the service did not regularly review risk assessments and did not seek the views of people using the service. The manager told us that the service is in the process of installing a computer system which will deal with these issues.