Archived: Family Homecare Ltd

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes what people using the service, their relatives and the staff told us and the records we looked at.

Is the service safe?

There were detailed care and support plans for each person who used the service. Care plans had been reviewed. There was a phone number for emergencies out of hours and a plan in place in case of adverse weather. Care plans and risk assessments had been reviewed quarterly or sooner if a person's needs had changed.

There were effective recruitment processes in place and evidence staff had identity and character checks.

Is the service effective?

The service undertook assessments with the person who used the service or a relative to identify their support needs.

The service was using the skills and knowledge of staff members to provide the required service to meet people's needs. Staff had received regular supervisions and appraisal's and the staff we spoke with confirmed this. One person told us 'I receive regular supervision and training updates. Staff we spoke with told us that the manager is very supportive and very organised.'

Is the service caring?

People who used the service or a relative had been involved in decisions about their care and support. Staff supported people and advised them, but allowed the person who used the service to make the final decision. Staff told us, "We always ask [people who used the service] what they want." A person who used the service told us, 'They are brilliant, they are lovely to me.'

Is the service responsive?

The service liaised with other health professionals to meet the needs of people who used the service. People's individual needs had been assessed and staff were aware of their needs. One person who used the service told us, 'Sometimes I need to increase the number and lengths of time the visits I received, the agency were able to arrange this for me.'

Is the service well-led?

There were processes to monitor and improve the quality of service delivery and the people who used the service had been provided with information about how to make a complaint.

We saw that care and support provided was planned, delivered and regularly reviewed with the involvement of the person who was using the service, or those acting on their behalf such family members or advocates.

We saw that risks to the health, safety and welfare of people using the service were well managed. There were suitable arrangements for protecting people who used the service against the risk of abuse. Staff had access to suitable policies and procedures and undertook training to assist them to recognise and report any concerns about the safety and welfare of people who used the service.

There were appropriate arrangements for recruiting staff. All of the required checks were completed before a person commenced work. Staff undertook a period of induction when they first commenced work so that they were familiar with the service's policies and procedures.

Improvements were required in how staff were supported to safely deliver care and support. There were no arrangements for staff appraisal, supervision and assessing staff competencies with regards to the training that they received.

The service did not have effective arrangements for monitoring and improving the quality and safety of the services provided..