Archived: Care Quality Services Macclesfield

Allied Health-Services Macclesfield is a domiciliary care agency providing support to people living in their own homes in the Macclesfield area of Cheshire. At the time of inspection, the service was supporting 72 people.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People told us that care workers routinely wore personal protective equipment (PPE) and felt they used it appropriately. Care workers confirmed they had plentiful supplies and could collect more from the office when they needed it. Care workers also confirmed they were kept up to date with changing guidance by office staff. Care workers had access to regular testing for Covid-19 and could request more tests when they needed them. The company supported staff to take time off work sick if they needed to and topped up their wages so they would not lose out financially.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 20 February 2020).

Why we inspected

We undertook this targeted inspection to check on a specific concern we had about the supplies and use of personal protective equipment and access to Covid-19 testing for staff. The overall rating for the service has not changed following this targeted inspection and remains good.

CQC have introduced targeted inspections to follow up on Warning Notices or to check specific concerns. They do not look at an entire key question, only the part of the key question we are specifically concerned about. Targeted inspections do not change the rating from the previous inspection. This is because they do not assess all areas of a key question.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

Allied Health-Services Macclesfield is a domiciliary care service providing care to 77 people at the time of the inspection. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

Most of the care packages delivered were to older people living in their own home, however the service also provided personal care to a small number of people with a learning disability living within a supported living setting.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Important information was captured through the assessment process about end of life care, however we found peoples wishes and preferences could be more detailed. We have made a recommendation about this.

In all other areas of care, people were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People had been involved in developing their care plans which were person centred, and people could change their care plans when they chose.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent. This included accessing employment opportunities. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

People received a caring service and felt supported and valued as individuals. People told us they were treated with respect and staff upheld their dignity during care visits. People were supported by staff who knew them well and trusting relationships had been developed.

Systems were in place to manage risks to people’s health and wellbeing and medicines were managed safely.

The service was well-led and staff felt well supported by an open and honest culture. The provider also worked with other professionals and organisations to ensure positive outcomes were achieved for people.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 8 August 2018). Since this rating was awarded the registered provider of the service has changed. We have used the previous rating to inform our planning and decisions about the rating at this inspection.

Why we inspected

This is the first inspection since the service re-registered with the CQC on 21 January 2019.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.