26 January 2012
During an inspection looking at part of the service
People who use the service and their relatives indicated that carers from the agency were on the whole reliable and capable and they were able to provide the agreed care. However, some monitoring checks had not been documented. This means that there is no documented evidence to provide confirmation of some of the checks done. In addition, the risks of falls was not always checked and documented. This may place people who use the service at risk.
People who use the service said they felt safe with their carers. Staff had been provided with safeguarding training and they were aware of action to take in response to allegations of abuse.
People who use the service indicated that they had confidence in their carers and they behaved in a professional manner. However, staffing records of a small number of staff transferred from another agency in the past year did not contain all the required documentation such as current evidence of identity and an updated Criminal Records Bureau disclosure. This may put people who use the service at risk.
People who use the service stated that quality monitoring checks had been carried out by the agency. We saw evidence of these checks and surveys. We however, noted that some important information requested from the agency regarding current management and up to date care arrangements was not always acknowledged or promptly responded to. This means that when needed, CQC is not always kept informed of progress affecting the quality of care and welfare of people who use the service.