15 November 2016
During a routine inspection
Newcross Healthcare Solutions (Taunton) provides personal care and support to adults and children with complex care needs living in their own homes. This included sitting services, night support and 24 hour care. At the time of this inspection they provided care and support to 16 people.
There was a registered manager in post. 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.
People were kept safe and free from harm. A relative told us, “I don’t trust anybody with my child…but I place my trust in Newcross carers over the nurses and consultants”. People using the service, and staff, had access to a 24 hour ‘on-call’ service, which meant they could ask for guidance or additional support at any time. The provider had a robust recruitment process which minimised the risks of abuse to people. Staff had received training and information on how to recognise and report any suspicions of abuse and they were confident any concerns would be acted on promptly.
There were systems in place to ensure people received their medicines safely from staff who were trained and competent to carry out the task. Continuous observation and auditing ensured these systems were maintained and action taken to minimise the risk of errors, for example additional training for staff or support from a nurse mentor.
There were appropriate numbers of staff employed to meet people’s needs and provide a reliable and safe service. People were confident staff were never rushed and always stayed for the correct length of time. A relative told us, “They arrive on time always. They refuse to leave early; they will say we are here until eight, so we will stay till eight”. People had a consistent staff team, with whom they had been carefully matched to facilitate the development of a trusting and comfortable relationship.
People were supported by a well-trained team of staff with the knowledge and skills required to meet their individual needs. All staff, including the registered manager, received regular supervision and support. They were enabled by the provider to keep up to date with best practice through the sharing of information from recognised sources including the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and participation in various networks and specialist forums.
Risk assessments and care plans were comprehensive and developed collaboratively with the person, their relatives and other health and social care professionals. Registered nurses were employed to support the staff to maintain safety for all care packages. Care plans were reviewed regularly which meant staff were able to continue to meet people’s needs as they changed. Effective communication systems ensured that this information was shared promptly with the person and the team supporting them, with the person’s consent.
Where required people were supported, as part of their care package, to access food and drink and maintain their nutrition and hydration according to their needs and preferences. Staff received specialist training where required, for example, ‘peg’ training (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy), to support people with feeding when oral intake was not adequate.
People’s legal rights were protected. People who used the service and others involved in their care were fully involved and consulted. People were always asked for their consent before staff assisted them with any tasks. Staff respected people’s privacy and people were treated with respect and dignity.