25 September 2014
During an inspection looking at part of the service
When we inspected the service on 07 July 2014 we found that people were not always cared for, and supported by, suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff. At our inspection on 25 September 2014 we found that improvements had been made in this area and that there were now effective recruitment systems in place incorporating criminal record checks and references.
People who used the service and the relatives we spoke with all told us that they liked the staff but that there was no consistency. There was a high turnover of staff and there was often little or no notice given of when new staff members would arrive at people's homes to provide care and support. People told us that this sometimes made them feel unsafe. For example, one family member told us, 'I feel she (the provider) is scrambling to find cover as there is a big turnover of staff.' They went on to say, 'It is stressful for [my relative] having new faces in their house all the time. She (The provider) does seem to pick good carers but they do not seem to stay, there is no consistency. There is clearly a lack of staff.'
Health professionals and relatives of people who used the service told us that there were sometimes communication difficulties with staff members whose first language was not English.
Up to date information and guidance about safeguarding matters was not always available for people who used the service, staff members or families of people who used the service.
Staff members we spoke with confirmed that they had undertaken all the necessary training, such as moving and handling, medication, infection control, health and safety, food hygiene and safeguarding vulnerable adults. Staff members we spoke with confirmed that they received one-to-one supervision sessions with the provider and as part of these sessions they felt able to discuss any areas of their work.