31 December 2018
During a routine inspection
First City Nursing Services-Cheltenham had a registered manager in post. 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.
The inspection took place on the 31 December 2018 and the 8 January 2019 and was announced. The service was previously rated 'Good' overall; at this inspection we found the service remained 'Good’.
We heard positive comments about the service from people and their relatives such as “Top marks” and “I would certainly recommend this company to other people.”
The service was outstandingly responsive to people's needs. People benefitted from a proactive and supportive approach to meeting their individual needs and enabling them to continue to follow their wish to live in their own homes. The service worked in a creative, co-operative and proactive way with commissioners of services, other service providers and voluntary organisations to ensure people and their relatives benefitted from joined-up care and support.
People were protected from harm and abuse through the knowledge of staff and management. Risks to people's safety were identified, assessed and appropriate action was taken to keep people safe. Staff were recruited using robust procedures.
People were supported by staff who had training and support to maintain their skills and knowledge to meet their needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People were treated with respect and kindness and their privacy and dignity was upheld. People and their relatives were involved in the planning and review of their care and support. Concerns or complaints were investigated with lessons learned for improving the service.
Quality assurance systems were in operation with the aim of improving the service in response to people's needs. The management were approachable to people using the service, their representatives and staff.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.