The Care Quality Commission
  • Services in your home
  • Homecare service

Archived: London Care plc (Enfield)

Gor-Ray House, 758-760 Great Cambridge Road, Enfield, Middlesex, EN1 3PN

Provided and run by:
London Care Limited

All Inspections

6 February 2013

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out this unannounced inspection to check if the provider had complied with a warning notice served following an inspection of the service on 2 January 2012. We did not speak with people who use the service on this occasion as the focus was on the implementation of the provider's child protection policy.

At this inspection we found that care staff providing personal care to children had undertaken training in child protection and safeguarding. This was in line with the provider's safeguarding children policy. Children who used the service were safeguarded against the risk of abuse as the provider had fully implemented policies and procedures designed to protect them.

2 January 2013

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out this unannounced inspection to check if the provider had complied with two compliance actions issued at the last inspection of the service in May 2012. On that occasion we had found that appropriate arrangements were not in place to ensure that staff received the required training in how to move people safely. In addition, although the service had child protection policies and procedures in place these were not being followed.

We did not speak with any people who use the service during this inspection as our focus was on the training provided to staff and implementation of child protection policies and procedures.

After reviewing the provider's records we found that the majority of staff had undergone refresher training in moving and handling people and were able to move people safely using a hoist. However, the provider had not ensured that staff working with children understood their responsibilities in relation to reporting suspected child abuse as stipulated in the provider's child protection procedures. The provider did not have suitable arrangements in place to ensure that children were safeguarded against abuse as reasonable steps had not been taken to make sure staff were able to identify abuse and prevent it from happening.

10 May 2012

During a routine inspection

We spoke with six people who used the service or their relatives over the telephone. Everyone we spoke with told us that care workers treated people with dignity and respect. One relative's comments were typical when she said, 'they are very kind to my husband'. People told us they did not usually feel rushed by care workers and were helped at a pace that suited them. They knew what support the care workers would provide and the tasks that were outside their remit. People described care workers as 'very nice people', 'really friendly' and 'fantastic'. Most people told us that care workers usually arrived promptly or within 20 minutes of the expected time.

Two relatives told us that new care workers were not always confident using the hoist to move the person. One relative said that on one occasion, 'the carer didn't know how to use the hoist properly and made her (the person using the service) wince'. Another relative told us, 'one carer asked me how to use the hoist'. This suggested that some care staff were not prepared for the tasks they were expected to perform. Training records confirmed that 40% of staff were not up-to-date with their moving and handling training.

The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality of service provided. However, staff supporting children had not undertaken training in child protection and safeguarding.