23 & 25 February 2015
During a routine inspection
This inspection was unannounced and took place on 23 and 25 February 2015. At the last inspection on 7 January 2014, the registered provider was compliant with all the regulations we assessed.
Staff Call UK Ltd is a domiciliary care agency registered to provide personal care in people’s own homes in Kingston upon Hull. The service is able to support people with a wide range of ages, including younger adults and older people, and assist them with diverse needs. These include mental health needs, physical disability, sensory impairment and people living with dementia. At the time of the inspection three people used the service.
The service had 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 who used the service were protected from abuse by trained staff who could recognise the signs of potential abuse and knew what action to take if they suspected it had occurred. We saw that accidents and incidents were investigated and action was taken to improve the service as required.
Before staff commenced working within the service, appropriate checks were undertaken to ensure they were suitable to work with vulnerable people.
Staff completed an in-house induction programme and a range of training pertinent to their role to ensure they had the necessary skills and knowledge to support people effectively. We saw that staff were supported through regular supervisions and one to one meetings with their line manager.
People were supported to make choices in all aspects of their daily lives. Staff encouraged people to choose a healthy balanced diet and ensured they ate sufficient amounts to meet their needs.
Staff we spoke with described how they treated people with dignity and respect during their interactions. People who used the service and their relatives confirmed staff treated them with kindness and compassion whilst supporting them to maintain their independence.
People were supported to follow their hobbies and interests and encouraged to have regular contact with people who were important to them.
During discussions with staff, it was evident they knew people’s life histories and preferences for how care and support was to be delivered. Staff responded quickly to people’s changing healthcare needs and contacted other healthcare professionals when required.
A quality assurance programme was in place that consisted of audits, assessments and regular spot checks to ensure shortfalls were highlighted and improvements could be made. The registered provider had recently introduced satisfaction surveys to gain the feedback of people who used the service and other relevant people.
A complaints policy was in place at the time of the inspection. A relative we spoke with told us when they had raised a concern; the registered provider had taken action to improve the service their family member received.