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

Archived: Wirral Flexicare

Unit 11, Tower Quays, Tower Road, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH41 1BP (0151) 647 9428

Provided and run by:
Wirral Flexicare Limited

Important: This service was previously registered at a different address - see old profile

All Inspections

5 September 2013

During a routine inspection

We visited the offices of Wirral Flexicare where we spoke with the registered manager and other administration staff. We discussed the services they provided and the systems they had in place to ensure that people received a good and satisfactory standard of care. During our inspection we spoke to two members of staff and two people who received support when they came to visit the office. We also spoke with another person who received support and three relatives over the telephone. Comments we received included :

"I am not dissatisfied with anything"

"I am involved if I need to make any changes to [my relative's] care"

"I have regular carers but if anyone can't come I am always informed"

"They have absolutely wonderful staff" and

"I wouldn't hesitate to call if I had any issues".

We looked at the records of six people receiving personal care. Each record contained enough information to show how the person was to be supported and cared for. We saw that people gave consent to care, that reviews were undertaken and changes made to people's care plans when required. Risk assessments were carried out and if risk was identified there was clear instruction on how it should be managed.

The agency worked closely with other health and social care professionals to ensure that people received a service which covered all their needs.

There were systems in place to ensure that staff were recruited appropriately and the quality of services was continually monitored.

3, 7 January 2013

During a routine inspection

After the inspection visit to the office of Wirral Flexicare we contacted three people who used the service they told us they were happy with the care and support provided. One relative spoken with told us they knew who to contact if they were concerned or unhappy with the service provided to their relative.

We looked at the care files of four people who used the service. An assessment of people's care and support needs was carried out when they first started to use the service. Discussions with two people who used the service and a relative confirmed this information.

The three people who used the service and the one relative spoken with described care workers as polite and respectful. They said that the staff always secured their homes when they left and that they wore identification badges to identify themselves. No concerns were reported about how people were cared for and supported.

Records showed that all care workers received training in areas such as health and safety matters, medication management, safeguarding, food hygiene and infection control. The manager told us there was a plan in place to update training.

There were systems in place to obtain the views of the people who used the service and to monitor the quality of the service provided such as through annual questionnaires. The manager told us he was in the process of setting up a service user group to support the current quality assurance systems in place.