Archived: CheritonLink

' Is the service safe?

' Is the service effective?

' Is the service caring?

' Is the service responsive?

' Is the service well-led?

This is a summary of what we found '

Is the service safe?

People told us that they felt safe and had confidence in the staff supporting them. They told us that staff treated them with dignity and respect. One person told us 'They will always tell me what they are about to do and check if that's how I want things doing.'

There was a member of senior staff available on call in case of emergencies.

Recruitment practice was safe and thorough. Staff had received supervision and were subject to regular spot checks to ensure that unsafe practices were identified and appropriate action taken to resolve them.

Senior staff organised the rotas, taking in to account people's care needs. This was ensure correct decisions were made about the numbers, qualifications, skills and experience of staff required. This helped to ensure that people's needs were met.

CQC monitors the operation of the Depravation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care settings. While no applications have been submitted, appropriate policies and procedures were in place. Staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act and the application of DoLS during their induction.

Is the service effective?

People's care and welfare needs were assessed and they told us that they were involved in planning their care. One person we spoke with told us 'I get to say exactly what it is I want and I get the opportunity to discuss if I want to change anything.'

People told us that they were happy with the care that had been delivered and that their needs had been met. Staff had received training to meet the needs of the people they were supporting in the community.

Is the service caring?

We spoke with seven people who used the service and a family member. We asked for their opinion about the staff and how they supported them. People were positive about the care they received. They told us that staff usually turned up on time. If staff were running late then they generally received a telephone call to inform them of their expected time of arrival. One person we spoke with told us 'they are all very friendly, we have a laugh and a joke.'

Staff we spoke with confirmed that they were responsible for reading people's care plans and for ensuring that they were up to date with any changes. One person told us 'I recently received a visit from the manager and we discussed what changes I wanted to make.'

Is the service responsive?

People knew how to make a complaint if they were not happy with services provided. One person told us that they were quite happy to chat to their carers if anything was concerning them. If this did not change anything then they would contact the office. They said that staff acted quickly to resolve any issues.

People's needs were assessed before their service started. A senior care worker we spoke with told us that once the service had started they would then review this assessment after a couple of weeks to ensure the correct care needs had been identified. Any changes needed would then be implemented.

Is the service well-led?

The service had quality assurance systems in place. Records we reviewed showed that where issues had been identified actions had been taken to resolve them.

People were asked views about their care and treatment and these were acted on.

Staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities and the needs of the people they were supporting. This helped to ensure the people received a good quality service at all times.

The people we spoke with told us that staff were mostly on time and stayed for the right amount of time. One person told us that staff always stayed until they had completed all the necessary tasks which sometimes meant they stayed later. Staff told us that they followed the care and support plans which they felt contained adequate information. We found that care plans had been recently reviewed and updated.

The manager and staff were aware of their responsibilities regarding protecting people from abuse. People we spoke with said they had confidence in their care and felt safe with the support provided.

Staff we spoke with told us that received planned supervision and felt supported by the management team. They told us that they had access to training opportunities which were relevant to their role.

The provider had effective systems in place to monitor and evaluate the quality of services provided.