Archived: Prestige Nursing Tyne and Wear

Updated 30 December 2017

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 inspection took place on 20 and 29 November 2017 and was announced. The inspection was announced to ensure that the registered manager or appropriate person would be available to assist with the inspection. The inspection team consisted of two adult social care inspectors and an expert- by-experience. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

On 20 November an adult social care inspector attended the service. On 20 November an expert-by-experience made phone calls to people, their relatives and staff and on 29 November an adult social care inspector contacted additional staff.

We reviewed other information we held about the service, including any statutory notifications we had received from the provider. Notifications are changes, events or incidents that the provider is legally obliged to send us within the required timescale. Before the inspection, we also contacted the local authority commissioners for the service and the local authority safeguarding team to gain their views of the service provided.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We looked at three people’s care records. We examined documents relating to recruitment, supervision and training records and various records about how the service was managed.

We spoke to three people who used the service, one relative, the manager, field care supervisor and five staff members.

Updated 30 December 2017

This inspection took place on 20 and 29 November 2017 and was announced. The inspection was announced to ensure that the registered manager or appropriate person would be available to assist. This is the first time Prestige Nursing Tyne and Wear has been inspected.

Prestige Nursing Tyne and Wear is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. It provides a service to older adults and younger disabled adults. At the time of inspection the service was providing personal care for six people.

Not everyone using Prestige Nursing Tyne and Wear receives regulated activity. CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

The manager was a registered manager at another service and had started the application for becoming the registered manager at Prestige Nursing Tyne and Wear. 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.

The provider had systems in place to ensure people were protected from abuse and harm. Staff had completed safeguarding training and knew how to escalate any concerns. Risk assessments were specific to the person and identified the risk and the actions needed to be taken to keep the person safe. Medicines were managed safely by suitably trained staff.

A robust recruitment and selection process was in place. The service ensured appropriate skilled and well trained staff were deployed to support people. Training and development was up to date and staff told us they received regular supervisions and appraisals.

People were supported to maintain good health and had access to healthcare professionals. Information was provided, in a range of accessible formats, to assist people in understanding their care.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

Staff were knowledgeable about the people they supported and were aware of their preferences. People and relatives told us staff were kind and caring. Care plans detailed information for staff to make sure each person’s specific needs were met. People and relatives were involved in reviews of their care and support.

The provider had an effective quality assurance processes to monitor the quality and safety of the service provided. The service was proactive in seeking feedback from people, relatives and staff in order to monitor and improve standards. The manager ensured statutory notifications had been completed and sent to the CQC in accordance with legal requirements.