Archived: Carelink Community Services

Updated 6 July 2016

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.

The inspection took place on 10 June 2016 and was announced. We gave the service a few days’ notice as the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure someone would be in the office to facilitate the inspection.

The inspection was undertaken by one adult social care inspector from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Before the inspection we looked at the information we hold about the service, such as notifications sent to us.

As part of the inspection we spoke with one member of staff and the person currently receiving a service. We looked at this person’s care plan and one staff file. WE also reviewed other records held by the service including meeting minutes, supervision notes and training records.

Updated 6 July 2016

The inspection took place on 10 June 2016. We gave the service a few days’ notice to ensure someone would be in the office to facilitate the inspection. The service was last inspected in February 2014 when they were meeting all regulations reviewed.

Carelink Community Service Ltd is a private domiciliary care agency which is currently providing care and domestic services for people in their own home. The agency operates from a residential house in the Heaton area of Bolton.

There was a registered manager at the service. 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.

The service had a robust recruitment process to help ensure new employees were suitable for their role.

Appropriate individual and environmental risk assessments were in place and were reviewed and updated regularly.

There were appropriate safeguarding processes and staff were aware of how to report concerns. There was also a system for reporting accidents and incidents.

Staff undertook a thorough induction programme before commencing work and training was on-going and included refresher courses for mandatory training. Supervisions were undertaken regularly and appraisals undertaken annually.

The service was working within the legal requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) (MCA).

People who used the service were encouraged to be as independent as possible. People’s human rights, dignity and privacy were promoted.

Information was produced for people who used the service and their relatives.

The care plan we looked at was person-centred and included personal preferences, wishes and needs. We saw that people were supported to pursue their own interests and hobbies.

There was an appropriate complaints policy which was clearly outlined within the service user guide.

Spot checks were regularly carried out on staff to ensure they were carrying out their duties appropriately.

Service user satisfaction surveys were sent out regularly to help ensure the quality and continual improvement of care delivery.