Archived: Barnsley Council Home Assessment and Re-ablement Team

Barnsley Council Home Assessment and Re-ablement Team is registered to provide personal care for people who require support in their own homes following a period of illness so they may continue to live independently. The service provides support for people until they gain independence or for a maximum of six weeks, after which support may be needed from a more long term service. At the time of the inspection 55 people were receiving care and support from the service.

The service had a registered manager in place. 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.

People told us they felt safe. Staff had received training in safeguarding and were aware of the different types of abuse and their responsibility in reporting any concerns. Relevant risk assessments were completed when people began receiving the service.

The registered manager followed safe recruitment procedures. The staff worked in teams based on geographical location and both staff and people told us staff were on time and calls were not missed.

There were systems in place to reduce the risk of errors being made where staff were required to support a person with their medicines. However, we were not able to evidence all staff had received a recent assessment of their competency to administer medicines. We have made a recommendation about medicines management.

Although staff told us they felt supported and received regular training and supervision we identified that not all training was current and we saw in one team, only 13 of the 26 staff had received supervision during 2017.

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, however; not all staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 20015. We have made a recommendation regarding this.

People were able to access relevant healthcare professionals in a timely manner; this helped to ensure the re-ablement process was effective.

Staff were caring and kind. People told us staff offered them choices and respected their right to privacy. Staff were clear their role was to re-able people and not to complete all their tasks on the person’s behalf. Staff supported people to regain a degree of independence for example to make drinks and simple meals.

People told us they had been involved in the development of their re-ablement plan. Referrals for the service were received from a variety of sources and there was a triage system in place to manage them. Re-ablement plans included a record of the goals people wanted to achieve and the progress they had made. A record was made by support staff when they attended people’s calls, although these were not always returned to the service when the support package ended.

People we spoke with told us they were happy with the service they had received. There was a complaints procedure in place and the registered manager told us they were currently investigating one formal complaint.

Staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities. Regular staff meetings were held and feedback was gained from people who used the service. The current systems of governance were not sufficient to ensure all aspects of the service were safe and effective. We have made a recommendation about systems of governance.

Before people received any care or treatment they were asked for their consent and the provider acted in accordance with their wishes. People told us, 'They [staff] always asked what I wanted doing' and 'They don't do anything without asking me.'

People experienced care, treatment and support that met their needs and protected their rights. All people we spoke with were satisfied with their care. Their comments included 'I was happy with them, staff were lovely and easy to get on with', 'Couldn't wish for anything better', People had current care plans in place which were reviewed at regular intervals.

Where people were assisted and/ or prompted with their medication, people we spoke with did not have any concerns. Staff were appropriately trained and appropriate policies and procedures were in place.

People were cared for, or supported by, suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff. The provider had appropriate and effective recruitment procedures in place.

The provider had an effective system to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people received.