Alternative Care Limited

Updated 28 September 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.

The inspection was carried out on 29 and 30 August 2017. The inspection was announced. The provider was given notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that the registered manager was available. The inspection was carried out by 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. In this instance the Expert by Experience made telephone calls to people who use the service.

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service. This included looking at information we had received about the service and statutory notifications the registered manager had sent us. We had sent some questionnaires out to people the service had told us were involved in the service. This included people who used the service, relatives of people who used the service, health care professionals and staff working at the service. We also contacted the local authority contracts and safeguarding teams.

We asked the provider to complete 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. The provider returned the PIR and we took this into account when we made judgements in this report.

During the visit to the agency office on 30 August 2017 we spoke with the registered manager, the registered provider, four members of the management team, four members of care staff and a quality consultant who had been working with the service for two years. We looked at the care records of three people who used the service, three staff recruitment files, training records and other records relating to the day to day running of the service.

On 29 and 30 August 2017 we spoke on the telephone with seven people who used the service. Some of the people we spoke with experienced difficulty with verbal communication and therefore were not able to give us examples of the support they received but all were able to tell us if their needs were being met.

Updated 28 September 2017

The last inspection of this service took place in June 2015. The service was rated as ‘Good’ in all domains with an overall rating of ‘Good’.

Alternative Care Limited is registered with the Care Quality Commission as a domiciliary care agency. They provide personal and social care to people living in their own homes including some community supported living houses. No calls are less than an hour’s duration and all include social support such as supporting people to go out or spending time with the person engaging with them in activities of their choice.

At the time of our inspection there were 29 people receiving personal care.

Why the service is rated ‘Good’.

Risks associated with care and the environment in which people received their care and support were well assessed.

Although staff recruitment procedures were safe at the last inspection the provider had reviewed, developed and improved the process which had led to improved staff retention. This was safe and well planned.

Staff understood how to recognise and report any safeguarding concerns they had. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs with no calls missed.

People’s medicines were managed safely.

Staff had a thorough induction and had access to on-going training and support. Training was bespoke to the service and staff’s understanding of their training was regularly checked through progress reviews and reflective practice.

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.

The provider asked for people’s consent to care and treatment. Some key information relating to this was in accessible formats.

The provider supported people to access health and social care professionals when needed.

People were supported to make choices about their lifestyles and the activities they engaged in. Staff understood how to respect people’s privacy and dignity.

There was person-centred information in people’s care plans. Accessible formats had been used effectively to enable people to understand their care plans.

Staff told us they enjoyed working at the service, and said they had a good relationship with the management team including the provider. They told us the registered manager was supportive and approachable.

People were consulted about the service they received and were kept informed of developments and relevant issues through a quarterly newsletter.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.