Archived: Carewatch (Rochdale)

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on speaking with four people who used the service, the relative of a person who used the service, four care workers, the care supervisor and the manager and from looking at records.

Is the service safe?

People who used the service told us they were treated with dignity and respect. One person said, 'They're great, I'm treated with respect and I'm happy with the care I get.'

People usually received their care from a regular team of care workers and this was only changed when members of staff were on holiday or sick leave. One person said, 'They let us know if they're going to be late.'

We saw that detailed risk assessments were also in place in order to identify and effectively manage any risks to people using the service and care workers.

Recruitment procedures were thorough and made sure that all the required information was obtained before any new employees started working at the home. These procedures helped to protect people from the recruitment of unsuitable staff.

Care workers had been trained so that they knew how to safely give medicines to people who used the service.

Is the service effective?

People's health and care needs were assessed before any care was provided by care workers from the agency. People were also asked about their individual preferences so that care workers knew how best to meet people's needs.

Discussion with care workers and examination of records confirmed that induction training was in place for new employees. In addition to this a rolling programme of training was in place so that all members of staff were kept up to date with current practice.

Is the service caring?

People told us the help and support they received from care workers was appropriate to meet their needs. One person said, 'I'm quite happy with the care, everybody's so nice.' The relative of a person who used the service told us they were reasonably happy with the care provided and the care workers were respectful.

People who used the service and their relatives were encouraged to express their views by completing a satisfaction questionnaire every six months. The most recent survey confirmed that people were satisfied with the care provided. Comments included, 'My care workers are always prompt and cheerful', 'I look forward to them coming' and 'They've never been late, they're excellent and reliable'.

Is the service responsive?

Although people told us they were happy with the care provided they felt confident to make a complaint if necessary. One person said, 'I've no complaints whatsoever, but I would complain if necessary.'

Is the service well led?

A quality assurance system was in place in order to identify any problems or areas for improvement.

Discussion with members of staff confirmed that they understood their roles and responsibilities. This helped to ensure that people who used the service received the care and support they needed. Two care workers told us the manager was approachable and supportive.

One person who used the service said 'My care workers are always prompt, cheerful, good workers and I look forward to seeing them every day'. Another said 'They are polite, respectful and do the whole job very well. Any change would spoil it.'

People who used the service told us the staff were punctual and remained with them for the correct length of time. They confirmed that they did not feel their care was 'rushed'. People told us 'They don't rush me' and 'There is plenty of time'. One person told us 'They don't have much time but they always get through it'.

When staff first joined the company they were required to satisfactorily complete an induction course. The provider had rolling programme of refresher training to ensure they remained up to date in their knowledge. Some care workers said that much of the training centred upon watching DVDs. They suggested that in areas such as moving and handling inclusion of some practical experience would be beneficial. Care workers were supported by individual supervision sessions and an annual appraisal.

The provider had effective systems in place designed to regularly assess and monitor the quality of the service provided.

People were not protected from the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care and treatment because accurate and appropriate records were not maintained.