27 September 2014
During a routine inspection
Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes what people using the service, their relatives and the staff told us, what we observed and the records we looked at. If you want to see the evidence that supports our summary, please read the full report.
This is a summary of what we found:
Is the service safe?
We found the service was not safe.
There were gaps in the medication charts where medication had not been signed for. This did not support safe administration as it was unclear whether the person had received their medication. Staff had not received medication training since 2008-2009.
Training records showed that staff had not received any recent training about: - moving and handling, safeguarding, health and safety, medication administration or lone working.
We looked at four staff recruitment files for healthcare assistants. We saw that appropriate checks had not always been undertaken before staff began working for the service.
Is the service effective?
We found the service was not effective
Care plans highlighted which areas the person needed support and what type of support needed. These care plans were supported by a range of risk assessments. We saw clear guidance was given to staff on how to care for the individual.
We asked people if they were consulted about their preferences and wishes about how they wanted to spend their day. People told us staff worked around their needs. We saw evidence that people were regularly consulted about their care plan and scheduling of visits.
Is the service caring?
We found the service was caring.
Staff were all able to give us appropriate examples of when consent was required and how to provide care that upholds people's rights, privacy and dignity.
The three people we spoke to felt staff assisted them in maintaining their independence which they told us they appreciated. The three people we spoke to were very complimentary of the staff and made comments like 'I don't know what I would do without them.'
Is the service responsive?
We found the service was responsive
The provider completed care plan reviews which included feedback forms for people who used the service. We saw comments such as staff are 'Friendly' and 'Helpful'.
The manager kept a log of all incidents. Two falls had been reported in the past year and both had been reviewed and ensured all proper channels were followed such as an up to date falls risk assessment and review of why the person fell, minimising the risk.
Is the service well-led?
We found the service was not well led
Staff conducted a medication audit which specified that all medication was administrated in accordance with the policy, however this was not an accurate reflection of what we found on the day of inspection.
We saw there was no audit process to ensure standards were being met in terms of recruitment or regular training.
Staff told us they 'Enjoyed the job' and felt supported by the manager. They told us the manager was always 'Contactable' and 'Kind'.