The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: New Hope Care Aldershot

Victoria House, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 1EJ (01252) 352315

Provided and run by:
New Hope Specialist Care Ltd

Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile

All Inspections

9 May 2014

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We visited the agency to follow up on three areas of concern we had identified at our previous inspection in January 2014. These were in relation to the people not always receiving their care visits and there not being sufficient staff to deliver the scheduled visits. The agency had also not notifying the Care Quality Commission (CQC) of significant incidents and events. We spoke with three people, one relative and a professional that worked closely with the agency. Everyone we spoke with consistently spoke positively about the improvement in staff attending care visits on time as well as all care visits having been attended to since our last inspection.

In response to concerns noted at our inspection in January 2014 the provider told us that they would recruit more staff and ensure that people received their care visits as agreed in their care plans by March 2014. We saw that the provider had taken positive action to address these concerns.

Since our last inspection the agency had employed sufficient staff to undertake the scheduled care visits. They ensured surplus staffing hours were available to respond to changing staff circumstances and people's needs. Staff told us that there had been no missed visits since our previous inspection. We saw that a new electronic scheduling system had been implemented that supported the manager to effectively monitor the delivery of calls. Staff rotas were completed in advance to ensure that all care visits could be attended to. The agency had taken action to ensure that the responsible staff knew how to notify the CQC appropriately if significant events or incidents were to occur.

6 January 2014

During a routine inspection

During our inspection we found that people were involved in making decisions which affected their support or care.

Care plans were detailed and tailored to the needs of the individual but people did not always receive the care and support they needed as scheduled calls had been missed. Four of the five people with whom we spoke had experienced missed calls. One person told us, 'In the last month or so, since staff went sick they have missed a call on the odd occasion.'

People were protected from abuse through the provision of regular suitable training to staff and the availability of clear policies and suitable information.

The service had a clear recruitment policy which conformed to the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. Relevant checks had been carried out prior to staff commencing employment.

The service did not have sufficient staff to provide the resilience and flexibility needed to offer the required care to people who used the service. One member of staff told us, 'We just don't have enough people. Some are sick, some have left.' Another said, 'There is a team leader but there is no team for them to lead.'

The service had in place suitable processes to monitor the quality of service provided to people who used the service.

CQC were not always informed of events and incidents of which they were required to be notified by the service.