Archived: Allied Healthcare Newbury

Updated 23 March 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 20 February 2017 and was announced. The provider was given notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service. We needed to be sure that the staff would be available in the office to assist with the inspection. The registered manager was available throughout the inspection visit.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service. We looked at all the information we have collected about the service. This included notifications the registered manager had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to tell us about by law. We had received one safeguarding notification during the preceding 12 months.

During the inspection visit we spoke with the registered manager and eight staff. We contacted nine local authority and other professionals and received written responses from four of them. After the inspection visit we spoke, by telephone with nine people who use the service.

We looked at a sample of records relating to individual’s care and the overall management of the service. These included twelve people’s care plans, a selection of policies and a sample of staff recruitment files and training records.

Updated 23 March 2017

This was the first inspection of this service which took place on 20 February 2017 and was announced.

Allied Healthcare Newbury is a domiciliary care agency which offers support to people in their own homes. The service supports approximately 84 people with diverse needs who live in the community. Services offered include a wide variety of support packages, including clinical care packages commissioned by the Care Commissioning Group and Continuing Healthcare.

The service is required to have 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. There is a registered manager running the service.

The safety of people, staff and others safety was taken seriously. They were kept as safe as possible by staff who were trained in and followed health and safety and safeguarding procedures. They knew how to recognise and deal with abuse or risk of harm. Significant risks were identified and managed to reduce them, as much as possible. The service operated a robust recruitment procedure which checked that staff were safe and suitable to provide people with care. If people needed support to take their medicine, the service made sure care staff did this safely.

People’s right to make decisions and choices for themselves was upheld by staff. Care staff understood how important it was to people to give their consent and direct their own life. People’s capacity to make decisions was recorded, if appropriate and necessary. Relevant paperwork was, included in care plans. People’s rights were protected by staff who understood the Mental Capacity Act (2005). This legislation provides a legal framework that sets out how to act to support people who do not have capacity to make a specific decision. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were treated with respect and care and staff understood how important it was to maintain people’s privacy and dignity. Care staff made sure they provided people with care that met their individual needs, preferences and choices. People’s diversity was understood and people’s care reflected any special needs they may have had.

The service was well-led by a registered manager who was experienced and supported her staff team. She and her management team were described as open, approachable and very supportive by care staff. The service monitored and reviewed the quality of care they offered. Actions were taken to ensure the quality of care was maintained and improved and any necessary developments were made in a timely way.