17 September 2014
During an inspection looking at part of the service
We gave the provider short notice of our inspection because we wanted to make sure that the registered manager and staff would be available in the office to assist us by providing the information we required.
We asked the provider for contact details of people who used the service. We chose five people who used the service and we looked at their care records. We spoke with three relatives and one person who used the service to obtain their views about the care and support they received. We have included their comments in this report.
During this inspection we asked the following questions:
Is the service Responsive?
We saw that the provider had made improvements to the way in which they worked with other providers and relevant professionals. We saw that the provider responded quickly where the needs of people who used the service had changed. A health care professional told us,'I think the staff from Lifeways were marvellous. We worked alongside each other very well and when I asked for something to be done it was done straight away without delay.'
The provider had made improvements to the way in which complaints and concerns were managed. A new complaints procedure had been introduced and each person had been given a copy of this to keep for reference in their home. Relatives we spoke with told us that they knew how to make a complaint and felt that they would be listened to. A relative told us, 'I haven't needed to complain, but I would know who to contact if I had any concerns." Senior staff regularly visited the people who used the service presenting an opportunity to discuss any concerns people may have. The registered manager ensured that complaints were investigated fully and resolved where possible.
Is the service Well-Led?
We saw that the provider had made improvements to the way in which they obtained the views and suggestions of people who used the service and/or their relatives. The results of surveys were analysed and any areas of concern acted upon to ensure the provider continued to improve the service. Relative's we spoke with over the telephone generally felt that improvements had taken place. A relative told us, "I feel involved, we have had concerns but the company has made changes to make the quality of care and staffing better.'
When we looked at records relating to people's care and support needs we found that the information contained in the support plans in the office had not been reviewed or updated since 2013. Discussions with the manager and staff indicated that people's needs had been reviewed but this information had not been transferred to the copies of support plans in the office. We also noted that some information was missing. In one there were no records of medication administration (MAR) charts for people using the service. This meant that the quality monitoring of records had not been effective in ensuring that information was consistent and accurate.