12 October 2015
During a routine inspection
We undertook an announced inspection of Scope (DCA) on 12 October 2015. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice of our visit to ensure that the manager of the service would be available.
Scope provides personal care services to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection nine people were receiving a personal care service.
At our last inspection in September 2013 the service was compliant.
The service did not have a registered manager in place 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.
Staff, people and their relatives told us they were able to speak to the manager if they had any concerns. The service completed observations on staff whilst they worked and formal supervisions.
The people we spoke with all said that they felt safe in their home whilst care and support was provided.
Records we looked at and in our discussions with staff we found staff received training and understood their roles and responsibilities. They had the required skills and knowledge required to support people with their care and support needs. However on the day of our inspection some staff were overdue training in the mental capacity act and equality and diversity. The manager said that she had plans in place for staff to be placed on both training over the following months. This was evidenced through the staff training matrix.
People told us they were supported to eat and drink. Staff supported them to healthcare appointments and provided personal care as required to meet people’s needs.
Scope had a complaints procedure in place. People who used the service, their relatives and staff knew how to complain. Complaints and compliments were dealt with in accordance with the agency policy. However the manager of the service had not sent out an updated complaints policy to people who use the service and their families. The family had received the 2014 edition; the policy was updated in September 2015. The manager said that she would do this the same day.
Accidents and incidents were recorded and addressed by the manager. The manager used audits to look for any trends or patterns.