Archived: Direct Health (Crewe)

Updated 11 April 2017

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 6, 7 and 8 December 2016 and was announced. The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector. Another adult social care inspector and an inspection manager also made a number of telephone calls to people using the service or their relatives, to gain their views on the care provided.

Before the inspection we checked the information that we held about the service. We looked at any notifications received and reviewed any information that had been received from the public. We contacted the local authority contracts and quality assurance team to seek their views and we used this information to help us plan our inspection.

We used a number of different methods to help us understand the experience of people who used the service. We spoke with 21 people who used the service or their relatives over the telephone. This represented 40% of the people using the service. We looked at a number of records during the inspection, including care plans of people supported by the service, staff personnel records and records relating to the management of the service such as policies and procedures, rotas and meeting minutes.

Throughout the inspection we spoke with a number of staff including the nominated individual for the service, (this is the person the company has nominated to represent them), the manager, a peripatetic manager, and three care assistants.

Updated 11 April 2017

This inspection took place on the 6, 7 and 8 December 2016. The inspection was

announced.

At the time of our inspection Direct Health (Crewe) provided a home care service to people in Crewe, Sandbach, Alsager, and Congleton areas. It is part of the Direct Health Group, which operate a number of agencies around the country. The service is registered with the Care Quality Commission (Commission) to provide the regulated activity personal care. Information provided by the manager indicated that the service was providing personal care for 49 people in total.

A registered manager is a person who has registered with the 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. At the time of the inspection a manager was in post who was applying to be registered with the Commission. Since the inspection the manager has successfully completed her application and is now registered.

This comprehensive inspection of the service was a follow up to previous comprehensive inspections in December 2015 and January, June and July 2016 where we found that the provider was not meeting all the requirements for a service of this type and was awarded an overall rating of inadequate. We took enforcement action in line with our enforcement procedures and put the service in special measures. As a result of this inspection this service is no longer in special measures.

During this inspection, we found that the provider was meeting all the required regulations.

During this inspection we found that significant improvements had been made regarding how the service was provided. We spoke with 40% of all people using the service, or their representatives and received predominantly positive feedback. Comments included, “They (staff) are well trained and know what they are doing”, “They are excellent, a well managed service, I know who is coming and when so I am happy” and “Overall they are very good.”

People told us that they felt safe and we found that staff understood their responsibilities to report any suspicions of abuse or poor treatment.

People told us that their care calls were never missed, and that staff always arrived to support them as expected.

All new employees were appropriately checked through robust recruitment processes.

Staff were skilled and knowledgeable. We found that staff completed an induction prior to starting work in the service and received regular and on-going training. Staff told us that they felt supported, they received regular supervision and appraisals.

People received personalised care and the service was responsive to people's changing needs. Assessments and care plans were in place. They provided sufficient information and were regularly reviewed.

The service had a complaints policy and procedure. Records showed that in general the service responded to concerns and complaints and learnt from the issues raised.