Archived: Network Health and Social Care Harrow

Updated 1 April 2016

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 29 January 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 24 hours' notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and the manager was sometimes out of the office. We needed to be sure that the registered manager of the company would be available to speak with us on the day of our inspection.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

During the inspection we went to the provider's office and spoke with the registered manager and the branch manager. The branch manager identified the names of people who used the service or their families and a list of staff. We spoke with five people receiving care over the phone.

We spoke with five care staff and we also contacted the local authority for their view of the service.

We reviewed the care records of seven people who used the service, and looked at the records of staff and other records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 1 April 2016

This inspection took place on 29 January 2016 and was announced. We told the provider one day before our visit that we would be coming. The service provides domiciliary care and support to 56 people living in their own homes in Harrow and surrounding areas.

The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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 registered manager was on duty on the day of our inspection and we also met with the branch manager of the domiciliary care agency.

There were procedures in place for monitoring and managing risks to people. People told us they felt safe with the support they received from care staff. There were arrangements in place to help safeguard people from the risk of abuse.

Risks to people were assessed and well managed, People had risk assessments and risk management plans to reduce the likelihood of harm. The risk assessments identified the risks and the actions required of staff to minimise the risk.

People were protected from the recruitment of unsuitable staff. Recruitment records contained the relevant checks.

Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care. Staff had received training in relevant areas of their work.

People said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.

Staff understood their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People were involved in making decisions about their care and support and their consent was sought and documented.

People were supported to eat and drink sufficiently to maintain a balanced diet.

The service encouraged people to raise any concerns they had and responded to them in a timely manner.

There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.

There were systems in place to continually monitor the quality of the service and people were asked for their opinions and action plans were developed where required to address areas for improvements.