Inter-County Nursing & Care Services Rustington provides care for people in their own homes. On the day of our visit the service was providing care to 56 people with a range of needs including those living with dementia and older persons. People were supported with personal care as well as support such as housework, night sleep overs and 24 hour care.
The service had a registered manager. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People, and their relatives, said they felt safe with the staff. There were policies and procedures regarding the safeguarding of adults. Staff had a good awareness of the correct procedures to follow if they considered someone they provided care to was being neglected or poorly treated.
Staffing was organised so that people received a reliable service from regular staff. Sufficient numbers of suitably experienced staff were employed to meet the needs of the people the agency supported. Thorough recruitment processes were in place for newly appointed staff to check they were suitable to work with people who may be at risk.
People were supported by staff to take their medicines and this was recorded in their care records. Checks were carried out to ensure staff were competent to administer medicines and that staff were following the correct procedures.
Care records gave guidance for staff to support people safely. Risks to people were assessed and recorded. These included environmental assessments for people’s homes so staff knew any risks and what they should do to keep people and themselves safe.
There was suitable training, support and induction for staff so they could support people effectively. Staff told us they received regular training and that they did not provide support to people until they were confident to do so.
People told us their care workers obtained their consent when providing care and support. Staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act (MCA)) 2005 and associated legislation. There was information in the staff handbook to guide staff if they thought a person lacked capacity to consent.
People were supported to eat and drink in line with their individual needs. The agency supported people to access healthcare professionals when needed.
People were supported by kind and caring staff. People were involved in expressing their views and said they were treated with dignity and respect. They were encouraged to be independent based on their individual needs. A complaints procedure was in place that enabled people to raise concerns.
People said their needs were regularly reviewed and they were consulted about the care they needed. People said they were treated well and with kindness.
The provider had a policy and procedure for quality assurance. The manager and senior staff carried out checks to help to monitor the quality of the service provided. Quality assurance surveys were sent out to people, relatives and staff each year by the provider to seek their views on the service provided by Inter County Nursing & Care Services Rustington.