The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: Creative Support - Carlisle Service

Granville Hall, Granville Road, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA2 7AZ (01228) 512570

Provided and run by:
Creative Support Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile
Important: This service is now registered at a different address - see new profile

All Inspections

12 September 2014

During a routine inspection

Below is a summary of what we found. We contacted, after obtaining their permission, some of the people who used this agency and their relatives. We did this to ask them about their experiences of using the service and the support and care the agency had provided. We also spoke with the manager and care staff who worked for the agency about their work and training. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, speaking with the staff, people who used the service, relatives and from looking at records.

Is the service safe?

We saw that people's needs were appropriately identified and risk assessed. This included risks in individual's environments and the risks for any equipment used to support peoples care. This meant that staff providing care and support were fully informed about the risks associated with the equipment and environment used.

Is the service effective?

We were told that the agency had sought advice and had made appropriate referrals to other health professionals including the community nurses. This ensured people had the right advice and equipment to remain as independent as possible in a safe way.

Is the service caring ?The people we spoke with who used the service and relatives told us that staff were "very nice". One person said, "I have nothing to complain about, they are always on time bar a few minutes'. Another person told us, 'I get a regular carer and that is important to me'.

Is the service well-led?

We saw that training was mandatory on privacy, dignity and independence and that these values underpinned the work of the agency and the organisation. As well as being covered in staff induction training we saw that the topic was regularly covered through other specific training information. This meant that people's diversity, values and human rights were respected.

Is the service responsive?

People also told us that they expressed their views and were involved in making decisions about their care and treatment. One person we spoke with who used the service said that, 'The carers are very good, they know what you like and how you like it to be done'. Another person told us, 'I feel they [Creative Support Carlisle services] listen. I prefer to have female carers and that is always the case'.

14 August 2013

During a routine inspection

We conducted an announced inspection of the agency, so that we were able to meet with some of the people who worked there. We also spoke to people who used this agency and their relatives about the service they received. People told us they usually had the same team of support workers providing their care and this gave them confidence. They also said they were given time to discuss the care and support they needed with the agency staff. This evidenced people were involved in their care. 'Yes, I think they [staff] are very competent and good. They know how to look after me and what help I need. They come four times a day. I wouldn't be without them. I could not manage on my own.'

All those who used this service had an individual plan of care, a copy of which was kept in their home for them to read if they wished. We looked at the care documentation in the office and found this to be relevant and up to date. People also said that they were involved in the care planning process. 'Yes, I was involved in my care plan. I was given the choices of the times I wanted to go to bed and also get up. I can choose if I have a bath or a shower'. Telephone calls were made by an expert by experience who is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

We found that the selection and recruitment of staff was appropriate with staff support and training available to each person working at this agency. During our visit we spoke to two members of staff and asked them what it was like to work for Creative Support Carlisle. Both of them said it was a good place to work. 'I had a good induction programme and shadowed a more experienced member of staff until the manager thought I was able to work by myself'.

All records were up to date and securely held in the office which ensured that that care and support was provided in a way that protected peoples' rights and their best interests.

In this report the name of a registered manager appears who was not managing the regulatory activities at this location at the time of the inspection. Their name appears because they were still a Registered Manager on our register at the time.

18 July 2012

During a themed inspection looking at Domiciliary Care Services

We carried out a themed inspection looking at domiciliary care services. We asked people to tell us what it was like to receive services from this home care agency as part of a targeted inspection programme of domiciliary care agencies with particular regard to how people's dignity was upheld, and how they can make choices about their care. The inspection team was led by a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspector joined by an Expert by Experience who have personal experience of using, or caring for someone who uses this type of service.

We spoke with 19 people using the service, either by telephone interview or by visiting them at home to gain their views about the service. We visited the office to look at records and talk to the person in charge. We also talked to senior staff and three care workers.

Overall people using the service told us they were very satisfied with the agency. People also told us the service was reliable with good continuity and consistency of care with a group of care workers that were known to them. Without exception everyone we spoke with felt they were treated with dignity and respect.

One person using the service said, 'They (the care workers) are brilliant, and very attentive, they do a brilliant job'. Another said of the care workers, 'They are very good and very helpful, they always ask if I need anything else before leaving'.

People told us that the carers were usually on time, some times if they were delayed, they would telephone, just to let them know they were going to be late. They told us they were given a staff rota at the beginning of every week which was very helpful, telling them who to expect and at what time.

People also told us they felt they had sufficient choices in the care provided. They had

been involved in the setting up of their care. They told us they had been offered choices in the times of the visits and given flexibility to make changes to the support given.

Information about the agency had been given to people at the start of receing care and generally people knew what to do if there were problems or changes to be made to their service. One person told us, 'I had a lot of care from the agency to start with when I came out of hospital but now I can do a lot of things for myself. The carers have given me confidence to get back on my feet'.