At the time of our inspection there were 60 people who received a care service in their own homes from Age UK. During our inspection we visited the provider's offices and looked at people's care records, management records, and other documentation. We also spoke with nine people who used the service, the chairperson of the board of trustees, the chief executive officer for Age UK, the registered manager and nine staff members. A single inspector carried out this inspection.
The focus of our inspection was to answer five key questions; is the service safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?
Below is a summary which describes what we found, the records we looked at and what people who used the service and staff told us.
If you want to see the evidence supporting the summary please read the full report.
Is the service safe?
One person told us, 'I feel safe with them (staff) because they make sure I am secure when they leave my home. I have a key safe so the staff can get in and out. They always treat me gently when they give their care.'
Procedures were in place for safeguarding vulnerable adults. Staff had received training and knew what to do in the event of suspected abuse.
Information we hold showed the provider took appropriate action to report any safeguarding concerns they had identified to the local authority safeguarding team so people could be protected from abuse.
Systems were in place to make sure that managers and staff learn from events such as accidents and incidents, concerns and complaints. This reduced the risks to people and helped the service to continually improve.
Is the service effective?
People's health and care needs were assessed with them, and they were involved in writing their plans of care. Staff assessed and managed potential risks together with people to identify how risks to their health and safety could be reduced.
People said that their care plans were up to date and reflected their current needs. One person we spoke with commented, 'My care started after I had a fall. They (staff) make sure I avoid anything that I can slip on and nothing is too much trouble.'
We found visits to people's homes had been undertaken on time wherever possible, staff had completed the required tasks set out in people's care records and they had stayed for the correct time. These measures contributed to people receiving a service that provided them with effective care at home.
Is the service caring?
When we asked people if the service and staff were caring we received comments ranging from, 'They are the best carers I have had. I can't fault the way they look after me, they show they care' and 'They (staff) deserve a pat on the back for the work they do' to 'My carer is like a ray of sunshine. XXX recently made me up a bowl of fruit for me, it was lovely.'
We saw that people's choices and preferences about how they wanted to be cared for at home were respected and supported by staff. When speaking with staff it was clear that they genuinely cared for the people they supported.
Is the service responsive?
We saw people were helped to have the care they needed, when they needed it. One person told us, 'They always turn up on time.' Another person said, 'They have been a bit pushed this week due to holidays but they always let me know if there are likely to be delays.'
When people had told the provider about any delays in receiving their care, immediate action was taken to address any shortfalls to ensure care was maintained.
Where changes to care needs had been identified, staff acted promptly to respond, change the care arrangements and update their records. We also found the service worked well with other agencies and services to make sure people received care in a joined up way.
We found people knew how to make a complaint if they were unhappy and informal concerns were addressed immediately. The manager confirmed although they had not received any formal complaints about their home care services, any they received would be addressed in line with their complaints policy.
Is the service well led?
One person we spoke with told us, 'The manager is accessible. I can call the offices any time and the co-ordinators are also there. I think they have the right systems in place to do a really good job.'
Staff told us they felt supported by the organisation and the management structures in place. One staff member said, 'I feel proud to work for Age UK. We have a good reputation which I want to maintain.'
The provider had a quality assurance process and systems in place. Records showed that any shortfalls identified were addressed in the right way.