Archived: Ark Home Healthcare North Tyneside

Updated 8 November 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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 14 August, 21 August, 23 August and 15 September 2017 and was unannounced.

It was carried out by an inspector and an expert by experience. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses a service for older people. During the inspection the inspector visited the provider’s head office to look at records and speak with staff. After the site visit the inspector visited some people who used the service to speak with them and telephoned staff who were employed by the agency. An expert by experience carried out telephone interviews with some people who used the service and some relatives.

We reviewed information we held about the provider, in particular notifications about incidents, accidents, safeguarding matters and any deaths. We contacted local authority contracts teams, local authority safeguarding adults teams and other health and social care professionals who were involved with the service. We received no information of concern from these agencies.

We spoke on the telephone with ten people who used the service and five relatives. We also visited two people in their own homes to obtain their views on the care and support they received. We interviewed the registered manager, one team leader and two care co-ordinators for the service at the site visit. We carried out telephone interviews with five staff members.

We reviewed a range of documents and records including six care records for people who used the service, two medicine records, five records of staff employed by the agency, complaints records, accidents and incident records. We also looked at records of staff meetings and a range of other quality audits and management records.

Updated 8 November 2017

This inspection took place on 14 August, 21 August, 23 August 2017 and 15 September 2017 and was unannounced.

This was the first comprehensive inspection of the service since it was registered. Ark Home Healthcare is an established service which had previously been registered at a different location.

Ark Home Healthcare North Tyneside is a domiciliary care agency providing care and support to people in their own homes. The agency provides 24 hour personal care and support to some people with complex support needs. It is registered to deliver personal care. At the time of inspection 165 people were being supported.

A registered manager was in place. 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 told us they felt safe. They were protected as staff had received training about safeguarding and knew how to respond to any allegation of abuse. There were sufficient staff employed to provide consistent and safe care to people. Risk assessments were in place that accurately identified current risks to the person. Appropriate vetting procedures were carried out for all staff before they began working with people. However, we have made a recommendation that the provider promote equal opportunities and follows best practice with regard to recruitment.

Communication was effective to ensure any changes in people’s care and support needs were met. People's health needs were identified and staff worked with other professionals to ensure these were addressed. Staff were aware of people's nutritional needs and made sure they were supported with eating and drinking where necessary. People received their medicines in a safe way.

Staff had received training and had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Best Interest decision making, when people were unable to make decisions themselves. There were other opportunities for staff to receive training to meet people's care needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible, the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People and their relatives spoke positively about the care provided. They praised the kind and caring approach of staff. Staff were respectful and people's privacy and dignity were maintained. Records were up to date and contained some guidance for staff about people's needs. However, they required more detail to reflect the care provided by staff.

Staff and people told us the registered manager and management team were supportive and approachable. A complaints procedure was available and people said they knew how to complain, although most people said they had not needed to. Where a complaint had been received it had been satisfactorily resolved.

People had the opportunity to give their views about the service. There was consultation with people and family members and their views were used to improve the service. The provider undertook a range of audits to check on the quality of care provided.