13 July 2016
During a routine inspection
Affinity Trust – Domiciliary Care Agency – Southend and Essex is registered to provide personal care for adults with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and/or autistic spectrum conditions who live in shared or self-contained accommodation. At the time of our inspection care was being provided to 37 people.
A manager had been appointed on 4 April 2016 and was in the process of becoming registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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. The manager was supported by a team of support managers to ensure the daily management of the service.
The registered provider’s quality assurance systems and processes were not always robust and had not identified the issues we had acknowledged during our inspection. The arrangements for the administration and management of medicines had not been appropriately managed to ensure people’s safety and well-being. The manager provided an action plan as part of our inspection which they confirmed had been implemented immediately to improve practice in this area.
Although staff had received training on a range of subjects they had not received sufficient specialised training to effectively meet the individual needs of people using the service.
People told us they felt safe. The registered provider had effective recruitment procedures in place to protect people from the risk of avoidable harm. Staff understood the risks and signs of potential abuse and the relevant safeguarding processes to follow. Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were appropriately assessed, managed and reviewed.
Staff understood their roles and responsibilities to seek people’s consent prior to care being provided. The manager and staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).
Care plans were person centred and included people’s preferences and individual needs. Care plans were regularly reviewed. People told us they were happy with the care and support they received; they were treated with dignity and respect and care was provided in a kind and caring way. People’s nutritional needs were met and people were supported to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Where required people were supported to access health and social care professionals and services.
The registered provider had a formal process for handling complaints and concerns. They sought feedback from people who used the service and staff and analysed this information to help improve the quality of the service.