8 November 2016
During a routine inspection
There was 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.
Prestige Nursing Ilford provides personal care to people living in their own homes in different boroughs around the London area. At the time of our visit, they were providing personal care to 17 people. The service had 35 staff in their employment.
People and their relatives were satisfied with the service they received and commented staff were kind and caring and treated them respect. People felt safe when staff were around. All staff had undertaken training in safeguarding adults and children. They were able to describe what actions they would take if they suspected abuse.
The provider had risk assessments in place. Records showed risks to people had been identified, assessed and were reviewed on a regular basis.
We found people received their medicines when they needed them and the provider managed medicines safely and appropriately. People were supported to eat and drink enough to help keep them healthy. Staff understood people’s food preferences and acted in accordance with their wishes.
Staff received regular training and supervision and they felt supported by the registered manager.
There were systems in place to ensure staffing levels were appropriate to the needs of people using the service. The provider had an effective recruitment procedure to ensure only suitably qualified and experienced staff were employed.
The registered manager and staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. They knew how to support people if they lacked capacity to make decisions and who to involve.
People and their relatives commented positively about the care and support which were provided by staff. We saw complaints were handled in a professional manner, and any concerns noted and responded to promptly.
People and their relatives told us they had been involved in the assessment and care planning process. People received care which met their needs, choices and preferences. Staff had good knowledge of the people they supported and they encouraged people's independence. They were clear about their roles and responsibilities and worked as a team.
We found care plans identified people's needs and staff supported them in a person centred way. They were supported to maintain their health and wellbeing and had access to a variety of healthcare professionals when needed or requested.
The registered manager had an open, supportive and transparent culture and people felt they were listened to. They had a number of systems in place to monitor the quality of the service provided and also carried regular audits. Staff had access to policies and procedures to inform and guide them in their roles.