Archived: Advantage Healthcare - Peterborough

Updated 14 November 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This comprehensive (planned) inspection took place on between 4 May and 22 May 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the location provides a domiciliary care service. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

As part of the inspection, we reviewed the information available to us about the service, such as the notifications that they had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law.

During our inspection, we spoke with three people using the service and three relatives. We also spoke with four members of care staff and the registered manager. We checked three people’s care records and medicines administration records (MARs). We checked records relating to how the service is run and monitored, such as audits, accidents and incidents forms, staff recruitment, training and health and safety records.

Updated 14 November 2018

Interserve Healthcare - Peterborough is a domiciliary care agency that provides personal care and support for people of all ages with complex health needs. The agency staff cover a wide geographical area from South Lincolnshire to Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire to Cambridgeshire. There were 24 people using the service at the time of our inspection.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

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There was a registered manager in post at the time of our visit. 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.

There were usually enough staff and arrangements had been made to recruit further staff, which made sure there was cover for sudden shortfalls in staffing, such as sick leave.

Staff knew how to respond to possible harm and how to reduce risks to people. Lessons were learnt about accidents and incidents and these were shared with staff members to ensure changes were made to staff practice or the environment, to reduce further occurrences. Staff had been recruited properly to make sure they were suitable to work with people. Medicines were administered as prescribed and staff had guidance to do this safely. Infection control risks were reduced through the use of protective equipment.

People were cared for by staff who had received the appropriate training and had the skills and support to carry out their roles. Staff members understood and complied with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff supported people with their nutrition when they were unable to eat and drink. Staff followed the advice health care professionals gave them.

Staff were caring, kind and treated people with respect. People were listened to and were involved in their care and what they did on a day to day basis. People’s right to privacy was maintained by the actions and care given by staff members.

People’s personal and health care needs were met and detailed care records guided staff in how to do this. A complaints system was in place and there was information so people knew who to speak with if they had concerns. Staff had guidance if they needed to provide people with end of life care.

Staff worked well together and felt supported by the management team, which promoted a culture for staff to provide person centred care. The provider’s monitoring process looked at systems throughout the service, identified issues and staff took the appropriate action to resolve these. People’s views were sought and changes made if this was needed.

Further information is in the detailed findings below