Archived: Crossroads Care Stockport

We spoke with four people who used the service or their relatives. Comments included: 'I was involved in my X care plan and signed consent forms.' 'They always consult me.'

We looked at a sample of five people's care plans and found they contained details of the person's support needs and risk assessments. We saw a copy of the person's care plan was signed by the person and held at their home. A file copy was also held at the office.

One person told us: 'We have three regular support workers so if one person is off we know the person who will be coming.' Another person told us: 'I prefer a number of different carers; I think limiting people to set carers can leave them vulnerable if the regular carers are not available.' 'We have the same carers they always arrive on time they show respect for us and are always polite.'

There was a copy of the fire emergency evacuation plan (FEEP) displayed in the office. The manager told us the landlord was responsible for testing the fire systems and fire alarms were sounded on a weekly basis as part of the test.

The recruitment and selection process was robust. This meant people who used the service were safe and their needs were met by staff who were appropriately qualified and able to do their job.

People who use the service told us they were happy with the support they received. One person said, "The staff are very kind and very caring which gives me peace of mind.'

People told us they had received a visit from a representative from the agency before the service commenced. They told us their needs had been discussed and they had agreed to the support to be provided. They told us their carers provided sensitive and flexible personal care support and they felt well cared for.

We found that there was enough skilled and experienced staff so that people had their care delivered at the right time, usually by the same people and in ways they wanted. One person said, "I always have the same people unless they are on holiday."

Suitable arrangements were in place to protect people from the risk of abuse. People told us they felt safe with the care staff and said they would report any concerns to a manager.