Background to this inspection
Updated
9 September 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.
This inspection took place on 15, 20 July and 3, 5, 10, 12 and 15 August 2016 and it was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service to people living in the community, and we needed to be sure that someone would be available in the office. The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
The provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We received the completed document prior to our visit and reviewed the content to help focus our planning and determine what areas we needed to look at during our inspection.
We reviewed other information we held about the service including statutory notifications that had been submitted to the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We also received feedback from commissioners involved in the care of people using the service.
We spoke with five people using the service and the relatives of three people using the service. We spoke with the acting manager, the care delivery manager, the area operations manager, the Regional Hub Manager and nine care staff.
We reviewed the care records belonging to ten people using the service to check that they were reflective of people’s current needs. We reviewed four staff files that contained information about their recruitment, training and support. We also looked at other records relating to the quality assurance and management of the service.
Updated
9 September 2016
This inspection took place on 15, 20 July and 3, 5, 10, 12 and 15 August 2016 and was announced. Allied Healthcare – Kettering is a large Domiciliary Care Service, which provides personal care for people in their own homes. The inspection was undertaken by one inspector.
The service did not have a registered manager in post. The previous registered manager had left the service in February 2016. A new manager had been appointed and they had applied to be considered for registration with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). At the time of the inspection their application was in progress. 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.
People were not always informed about staff changes and of which staff may be visiting them. Having unfamiliar staff regularly attended their care, caused some people unnecessary anxiety and frustration.
The scheduling of work did not always allow staff sufficient time to travel from one visit to the next. Contingency plans were not always effective to allow for the service to provide cover for short notice staff absences, which sometimes left staff compelled to work when they were unwell.
Robust staff recruitment processes ensured that staff employed to work at the service had the right mix of skills, knowledge and experience and were suitable to work with people using the service.
Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse and of what they needed to do to protect people from abuse. Risks to individuals and their home environment were identified and managed. Risk assessments were centred on the needs of the individual, to enable people to live at home safely and independently within their capabilities.
Where the service was responsible appropriate systems were in place to manage medicines. Staff supported people to take their medicines safely.
Staff received appropriate training to equip them with the knowledge and skills to meet the range of needs of people using the service. A staff mentoring scheme ensured that staff were fully supported through their induction and probationary period. Regular supervision and annual appraisal meetings provided continual staff support systems.
The principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 were followed when assessing people’s capacity. The staff were knowledgeable of the requirements of the MCA legislation and ensured that consent was obtained before providing people with their care.
Where the service was responsible, people were supported to have a balanced diet that promoted healthy eating. Staff met people’s day to day health and welfare needs and took appropriate action in response to changing health conditions requiring medical intervention.
People’s needs were assessed and their care plans had sufficient detail to reflect how they wanted to receive their care and support to be provided. People using the service and/or their relatives were involved in the care reviews.
People were treated with kindness and compassion and their privacy was respected. The staff understood and promoted the principles of person centred care.
Complaints were responded to appropriately and used as an opportunity for learning and improvement. The manager understood their responsibilities and they were knowledgeable of the needs of all people using the service. Staff aimed to deliver a quality service and staff at all levels understood and promoted the ethos and vision of the service.
Management systems were in place to measure and review the quality of the service people received and drive continuous improvement.