27 January 2014
During a routine inspection
We found that people who used the service understood the care and treatment choices available to them and they were involved in making decisions about these. One person told us, "They send out a list each week that tells me who is coming and at what time. If I need a doctor's appointment, or a car arranging to take me to the hospital, my carers arrange this for me. Anything I ask for they do. I've got books and letters from the agency that tell me everything I need to know about the service".
Everyone that we spoke with told us that they were treated with respect, their privacy had been maintained and independence was promoted. For example, one person said, "They are very kind in every way". Another person said, "They treat me very nicely. I would soon let Allied know if they didn't".
We found that people received safe care and support from suitably qualified care workers. Everyone expressed satisfaction with the care they received and the care workers who supported them. For example, a relative told us that they were more than satisfied with the actions of the agency when their family member had a fall. They said, "The carer found X (referring to their family member) on the floor. I was very pleased with how they dealt with the situation. They called the paramedics immediately and arranged for a carer to be at X's house when they returned from hospital".
Overall, the service had effective systems for monitoring the quality of care and risks, and responded appropriately to concerns, complaints and incidents.