Archived: Chalkface Recruitment Limited

Updated 17 September 2015

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on the 11 August 2015 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be available.

One inspector undertook the inspection and carried out telephone interviews following the inspection. Before the inspection we looked at all the information we had about the service, including any notifications of significant events which had taken place since the last inspection.

During our inspection we went to the office of the service and spoke with the registered manager.

We reviewed the support plans for three people using the service, the employment folders with the training and supervision records for four care workers and records relating to the management of the service. After the inspection visit we attempted to contact two relatives but were only able to speak to one of them. We also attempted to contact five care workers but were only able to speak to one of them.

Updated 17 September 2015

We undertook an announced inspection of Chalkface Recruitment Limited on 11 August 2015. We told the provider two days before our visit that we would be coming because the location provides a domiciliary care service for people in their own homes and staff might be out visiting people.

Chalkface Recruitment Limited provides a range of services to people in their own home including personal care. At the time of our inspection four people were receiving personal care in their home. The care had either been funded by their local authority or people were paying for their own care.

We attempted to contact two relatives to ask their feedback but we could only speak to one person. We also attempted to contact five care workers but were only able to speak to one care worker.

We last inspected the service on 31 January 2014. At the last inspection there were no breaches of the Regulations we were reviewing.

A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.

There was a policy in place in relation to medicines but the medicine administration record (MAR) charts was not completed accurately and did not provide the care workers with appropriate guidance on how medicines should be administered.

The provider has a policy and training in place in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 but they did not have procedures in place to ensure people using the service had been assessed as to whether they were able to make decisions about their lives.

The provider had limited systems in place to monitor the quality of the care provided and these did not provide appropriate information to identify issues with the quality of the service.

The relative we spoke with felt their family member was safe when they received care in their home. The provider had policies and procedures in place to respond to any concerns raised relating to the care provided.

The number of care workers required for each visit was identified through the assessment of the person’s care needs and following a discussion with the person using the service and their relatives. There was an effective recruitment process in place.

Staff had received the necessary training and support to enable them to provide care safely and to an appropriate standard.

Assessments were carried out to identify each person’s care needs before they started to receive care in their home. This information was used to develop the support plan for the person.

The relative we spoke with was happy with the care provided and felt the care workers treated their family member with dignity and respect. Support plans identified the person’s cultural and religious needs. Care workers support people using the service to be involved in a range of activities.

The provider had processes in place for the recording and investigation of incidents and accidents. A range of risk assessments were in place in the support folders in relation to the care being provided.

Care workers completed a record of the care and support provided during each visit.

There was a complaints process in place and the relative told us they knew who to contact at the office if they had a concern. A feedback form was sent to the person’s family twice a year and there were regular house meetings to discuss the care being provided.

We found breaches of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 which related to the management of medicines, Mental Capacity Act and quality assurance. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of this report.