Archived: Allied Healthcare Chester

Updated 27 October 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 16th and 26th September 2016 and was announced. 48 hours’ notice was given to the agency of our intention to visit so that we could be sure that the registered manager was available.

The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector.

Before the inspection, the registered provider completed 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 registered provider returned the PIR when we asked and information included within it was used as part of our assessment of the service.

We contacted local authority commissioning groups and the local safeguarding team about information they held in respect of the registered provider. No concerns were reported to us.

We reviewed all the information we had in relation to the service. This included notifications, comments, concerns and safeguarding information. Our visit involved looking at six care plans and other records such as five staff recruitment files, training records, policies and procedures, quality assurance audits and complaints files.

We spoke to nine people who used the service. Discussions were held either over the telephone or through visits to people’s homes. During these visits we were able to observe interactions between staff and people who used the service. We spoke to five members of staff as well as the registered manager and other members of the management team.

Updated 27 October 2016

We carried out an announced inspection of Allied Healthcare Chester on the 16th and 26th September 2016.

Allied Healthcare Chester is a domiciliary care agency that operates from office premises in Little Stanney. The agency provides care and support for people living in the community in Cheshire and Greater Manchester. The agency currently supports approximately 100 people.

A registered manager is 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.

This was the first inspection of Allied Healthcare Chester since its registration on 25th February 2015.

People felt safe with the staff team and felt that their interests, for example with personal finances, were safeguarded. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of the types of abuse and how these were reported and investigated. Staff also had good understanding of what external agencies they could contact if they had concerns about care practices used by the service.

The registered provider took the risks faced by people in their support into account and these assessments were up to date and agreed by people who used the service.

Recruitment practices used by the registered provider were robust and ensured that people who used the service were protected.

Staff considered they received relevant and regular training in order to assist them to carry out their role. Staff told us that they received regular supervision and appraisals. Where incidents had occurred questioning care practice, supervision was used as a starting point for staff to reflect on their own care practice.

Staff had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act and associated safeguards. The registered provider included consideration of the capacity of individuals as part of the assessment process.

The nutritional needs of people were taken into account. Where support in preparing meals was provided, people told us that staff supported them in all aspects of eating and drinking.

People told us that they felt staff cared about them and supported them in a dignified and respectful manner. People were provided with the information they needed in respect of what they could expect from the service they received. People’s privacy was protected by the measures the registered provider had taken to ensure confidentiality.

Care plans were person centred and reflected the health and social needs of people. These were presented in a way which took the communication needs of people into account. We have raised a recommendation about the availability of alternative formats for information and care plans for people with communication difficulties.

People knew how to make a complaint and when concerns were raised, these were investigated in a timely and thorough manner.

People told us they thought the service they received was well led. They said that the registered manager maintained a presence, they knew who they were and that they were helpful, nice and approachable.

The registered provider had auditing systems in place to ensure that the registered manager and the management team were accountable. Staff told us that they felt supported by the registered manager and that they were open to suggestions that they had. The registered provider took their registration responsibilities into account through their practice.