Archived: CASA Warrington

Updated 26 May 2016

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 12 January 2016 and was unannounced. A further visit took place on 13 April 2016 following a change of name, the provider was given 48 hours’ notice because we wanted to check specific records and meet with the person responsible for the day to day running of the agency.

The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector.

Before the inspection we reviewed all the information we already held on the service. On this occasion we did not request the provider complete the Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service. We contacted the local authority contracts quality assurance team to seek their views.

We reviewed eleven care records of people supported by the agency and spoke with three people by telephone. We examined the staff training records and spoke with the trainer employed by CASA. We looked at seven staff recruitment files and interviewed three care staff. We saw a selection of records relating to the management of the service such as policies and procedures and complaints. We also spoke with the registered manager, the person in day to day control of the agency, two senior care staff and someone from human resources during our inspection.

Updated 26 May 2016

We carried out an unannounced inspection of CASA (Care and Share Associates) Warrington on 12 January 2016 and contacted people receiving care services and their relatives on 14 January 2016. It is with the consent of those using the service and their relatives we have included their comments in this report. We also visited the agency on 13 April 2016.

The agency registered as 2nd Floor Terraces corrected its registration with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to CASA Warrington following our visit on 12 January. This was our first inspection of the agency.

The agency is part of the CASA group and new to the Warrington area. The agency provides care and support to people living in their own homes, a night sitting service and support for people to attend educational training and work.

The care director is the 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.

All potential new staff attended classroom based induction for five days prior to the offer of employment with CASA.

Staff were knowledgeable about safeguarding and recognising the signs of potential abuse. We found that safeguarding concerns had been managed appropriately since the agency started operating.

There were arrangements in place to help protect people from abuse.

We found that carers completed medication administration training during induction and found records available to demonstrate that their competence had been assessed by senior staff once employed.

Individual risk assessments were completed for people who used the service, including assessment of any environmental risks, and staff were provided with information as to how to manage risks.

We found people were always involved in the planning and reviewing of the care provided.

Staff had received training regarding the expectations of the agency and its policies and procedures before starting work. New staff worked alongside more experienced staff until they gained sufficient experience.

Staff were enrolled to complete the Care Certificate. The Care Certificate is an identified set of standards that health and social care workers adhere to in their daily working life.

Care plans instructed staff of the individual’s needs and included information of what tasks they could do for themselves.

People using the agency were supported by individuals with whom they felt comfortable.

People’s needs were assessed prior to commencing a service to make sure the agency could meet their identified needs.

Care plans were detailed and provided information to help staff understand how people liked to be supported. Staff were knowledgeable about people’s health needs.

The agency had a complaints procedure and complaints were managed effectively.

The agency had a registered manager and a nominated person in charge of the day to day running of the business. Both people demonstrated a good knowledge of the business and the needs of the people using the agency.