Archived: Positive Life Choices Ltd

Updated 24 July 2015

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 14, 24 and 28 April 2015. The inspection was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to ensure the registered manager was available to assist the inspection.

The inspection team was made up of one adult social care inspector 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. The expert-by-experience carried out a number of phone calls to people who used the service.

Before the inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service. This included notifications sent by the provider about significant issues such as safeguarding, deaths and serious injuries. We asked the provider to supply us with a ‘provider information return’. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service including what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We received this form in March 2015. Relevant information from this has been included in the report. We contacted other agencies such as local authorities, NHS clinical commissioning groups and Healthwatch to gain their experiences of the service.

During the inspection we talked with the registered manager, regional operations manager, service manager, and four support workers. We ‘pathway tracked’ the care of four people, by looking at their care records and talking with them and staff about their care. We visited four people who used the service in their own homes. We telephoned 16 people who used the service. We reviewed a sample of eight people’s care records; six staff personnel files; and other records relating to the management of the service. We contacted two social workers and four local authority commissioners of care for their views on the service.

Updated 24 July 2015

This inspection took place on 14, 24 and 28 April 2015, and it was announced. We gave 48 hours’ notice of this inspection because the service is a domiciliary care agency and we needed to be sure the registered manager was available to assist the inspection.

We last inspected this service in January 2014, at which time we found no breaches of regulations.

Positive Life Choices Limited is a domiciliary care agency that provides care and support to people living in their own homes. The service was supporting 54 people at the time of this inspection. The service had a registered manager who had been in post since 2013. 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.

Systems were in place to identify, assess and manage risks to people.

Systems were in place to protect people receiving care or support from harm. Staff had been given regular training in the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and were clear about their responsibilities to recognise and immediately report any incidents of abuse. People told us they felt safe and well-protected by their support workers.

The service ensured that there were sufficient staff hours available to meet people’s needs in a safe and timely manner. We saw workers had time to engage with people and give them good quality support without being rushed. Any new staff were checked to make sure they were suitably fit to work with vulnerable people.

People’s prescribed medicines were administered safety, and clear records were kept of all medicines received, administered and disposed of.

People’s needs were assessed before they were offered a care package, to ensure their needs could be fully met. People were encouraged to be fully involved in the assessment of their needs, and were asked for their wishes and preferences about how their care should be given. Detailed plans were drawn up to meet each person’s individual needs and wishes, and these were regularly evaluated to make sure they remained appropriate and effective. People told us they felt their care and welfare needs were consistently met, and that they received a good quality of personalised care.

People told us they received their care in the ways they wanted, and that staff were flexible and responded positively to any requests. Regular reviews allowed people to comment on their care and ask for changes to their care plans.

People were supported to enjoy a varied and nutritious diet, with plenty of choice. Any special dietary needs were met.

People’s health needs were assessed and workers monitored people’s health and well-being closely. People were supported to access the full range of community and specialist healthcare services, where necessary, to make sure they received the healthcare they needed.

People told us they were well cared for, and were treated with warmth and respect by their workers. They said their privacy and dignity was protected at all times. We saw that staff were caring and sensitive in their approach and actions.

Complaints or concerns were taken seriously by the service and issues were addressed promptly and appropriately. Complainants were given detailed and sensitively written responses which acknowledged failings, where relevant, and gave details of actions taken.

People were supported to be as independent as possible, to pursue activities and interests, and to access community facilities.

Staff members were given regular training to enable them to meet people’s needs. Staff received regular supervision and appraisal and told us they felt supported and respected by the service.

The registered manager and the management team demonstrated clear leadership and ensured there was an open and positive culture in the service. Staff told us they were clear about their roles and demonstrated a pride in their work.

Systems were in place to regularly monitor the quality of the service being provided, and the degree of satisfaction of people who used the service.