19 May 2015
During a routine inspection
The inspection took place on 19 May 2015 and was announced. We told the provider two days before our visit that we would be coming. We did this because we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be in. At our previous inspection in December 2013 we did not have any concerns.
Allied Healthcare Stafford provides care and support to people in their own homes and in the Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent areas. At the time of this inspection 178 people used the service.
A registered manager was in post at the time of our inspection. 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.
CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLs) and to report on what we find. The MCA is designed to protect people who can't make decisions for themselves or lack the mental capacity to do so and the Deprivation of Liberty safeguards ensures that people are not unlawfully restricted. The provider did not consistently follow the guidance of the MCA and ensure that people who required support to make decisions were supported and that decisions were lawfully made in people’s best interests.
People were supported in their own homes and told us they felt safe and comfortable with the service provided. People told us they felt well supported by regular staff who knew their needs and preferences. People felt less well supported by staff who were not their regular staff.
Systems were in place to ensure that people who used the service were protected from the risk of abuse. The registered manager and staff had received training in safeguarding adults from abuse and were aware of the procedures to follow if they suspected that someone was at risk of harm.
People were offered support in a way that upheld their dignity and promoted their independence. Care plans were written in a personalised way based on the needs of the person concerned.
People were supported at mealtimes to have food and drinks of their choice.
Systems were in place to ensure that people were supported by staff who were of good character and able to carry out the work. People told us they looked forward to the staff coming to support them.
People who used the service told us they received their medicines in the way they had been prescribed.
People had mixed views of the knowledge and competency of some of the staff. Staff told us they received sufficient training for them to do their job.
People told us that most staff were kind and caring. People had individualised care plans to support the staff with providing care and support that maintained people’s independence.
Complaints and concerns were looked at by the registered manager in line with the procedures and action was taken to reduce the risk of recurrence.
People told us they felt well supported by the management and staff worked well as a team. The safety and quality of the home was regularly checked and improvements made when necessary.