The owner and registered manager of Elite Assistance was first registered by the Commission in May 2011 to enable them to offer a personal care service to people living in their own homes in the Worcester area. In November 2011 the office location in Worcester had to close and relocate due to circumstances which were out of the owner's control. The office has now relocated in Worcester, although it is not completely fully functional due to having no access to a telephone line. This is planned to be installed later this week. This information had been communicated to the people who used the service.The registered manager had appointed a Care Co-ordinator for the Worcester area who had recently joined the company. She keeps in day to day contact with people who use the service and the care workers providing the care.
We visited the agency office in Worcester and spoke on the telephone with people that used the agency and this included a relative of one person who used the service. We talked to people about their experience of the care and service they received from the agency. People told us that they were happy with the care package provided by the agency. They told us that the care was 'excellent'. 'Very pleased with the care'. People said that the care workers stayed with them for the allocated time and gave the care that was agreed in their care plan. People told us that the care workers were; 'very nice'; 'always so pleasant'; 'very very pleased with the type of care worker that is looking after her, they are all very nice'; 'marvellous'. People told us that there had been some recent changes with one or two care workers. They said that the 'ones that left were like family and friends, but the new staff are getting adjusted and have become friends'. 'The staff are very reliable'. One person told us that the registered manager came to visit them to tell them about the changes and what they were planning to do at the new Worcester location.
People told us the care workers were polite and respectful towards them and were kind and respected their dignity whilst they assisted them with personal care.
We found that people received effective, safe and appropriate care, treatment and support that meet their needs.
The Care Coordinator had only been in post for two weeks. She had already identified that changes were needed to the current care documentation and the information contained within individual care records to make sure there was more detailed information about people's care needs and to make them person centred. The registered manager confirmed that they were currently in discussion about these changes. We looked at care records and found that care records were not person centred and lacked detail, which may leave people at possible risk of not receiving consistent or appropriate care at all times.