Archived: Social Care Solutions Ltd (Peterborough Office)

Updated 11 June 2016

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 announced inspection took place on 11 May 2016. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the manager is sometimes out of the office supporting staff or visiting people who use the service and we needed to be sure that they would be in. The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Before the inspection we looked at all of the information that we had about the agency. This included information from notifications received by us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send to us by law. Before the inspection the manager completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the registered provider to give some key information about the service, what it does well and improvements they plan to make. We took the information in the PIR into account when we made judgements in this report.

During the inspection we visited the services’ office, spoke with seven people who used the service and three relatives. We spoke with the manager, two team leaders and five care staff including an agency worker. We also spoke with two care managers from the local authority to gain their views about how people were being supported.

We looked at four people’s care records, records in relation to the management of the service and the management of staff. We observed people’s care to assist us in our understanding of the quality of care people received.

Updated 11 June 2016

Social Care Solutions Ltd. (Peterborough Office) is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes and in supported living premises There were 11 people receiving personal care from the service when we visited.

A registered manager was not in post. However, the manager had submitted an application to register with the Care Quality Commission. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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 received training to protect people from harm and they were knowledgeable about reporting any suspected harm. There were a sufficient number of staff employed and recruitment procedures ensured that only suitable staff were employed. Risk assessments were in place and actions were taken to reduce these risks. Arrangements were in place to ensure that people were supported and protected with the safe management of medicines.

The CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. DoLS applications were being made to ensure that people’s rights were protected. Staff were supported and trained regarding the MCA

People were supported to access a range of healthcare professionals and they were provided with opportunities to increase their levels of independence. Health risk assessments were in place to ensure that people were supported to maintain their health. People had adequate amounts of food and drink to meet their individual preferences and nutritional needs.

People’s privacy and dignity were respected and their care and support was provided in a caring and a patient way

Sufficient numbers of staff were available and the appropriate recruitment checks had been completed to ensure they were suitable to carry out their role.

People’s hobbies and interests had been identified and they were supported to take part in a range of activities that were meaningful to them. People could raise concerns with the staff at any time. A complaints procedure was in place and complaints had been responded to, to the satisfaction of the complainant. .

The provider had quality assurance processes and procedures in place to improve, if needed, the quality and safety of people’s support and care. People and their relatives were able to make suggestions in relation to the support and care provided and staff acted on what they were told.

There were strong links with the external community. A staff training and development programme was in place and procedures were in place to review the standard of staff members’ work performance.