Archived: START

Updated 23 February 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 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 18 and 19 January 2017 and was announced. The registered manager was given 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This is because the location provides a domiciliary care service. The registered manager can sometimes be out of the office supporting care givers or visiting people who use the service. We needed to be sure that the registered manager would be available to speak with us on the days of our inspection. The inspection was carried out by one inspector over the two days.

During the inspection we spent time at the service’s office and visiting people. We spoke with the registered manager, two care co-ordinators’, one administrator and four care staff. We also spoke with three people, and one relative. We also reviewed care records for three people who used the service, and looked at the records of two staff and other records relating to the management of the service. Following the inspection we contacted health care professionals but were unable to gain their views about the service.

We reviewed the Provider Information Record (PIR) and previous inspection reports. The PIR 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. We also reviewed the information we held about the service and notifications we had received. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

Updated 23 February 2017

This inspection took place on the 18 and 19 January 2017 and was announced. We told the registered manager two days before our visit that we would be coming. At the last inspection in July 2014 the service was meeting the regulations we checked.

The START service (Short-term assessment reablement team) provides short term domiciliary care and support of up to six weeks to adults living in their own homes following ill-health or an injury. The aim of the service is to enable the person to regain confidence and skills in their daily life. At the time of the inspection there were 12 people living in North Somerset and surrounding area receiving a service.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of this inspection. 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.

The service provided good support to people and was proactive in ensuring people’s safety and it was responsive to people’s needs. Care workers knew how to identify abuse and knew who to go to should they suspected abuse although one care worker was unsure of who to go to outside of the service. People felt safe and knew their care worker well. People were supported by staff who had satisfactory checks prior to starting their employment.

The service identified risks to people’s safety and was proactive at reducing risks through specialist equipment and technology. Incidents and accidents were managed to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.

People and relatives felt there was a good standard of care and all were happy with the service. Staff felt the managers were approachable and accessible. There was a positive culture that was person-centred and that aimed to enable people to regain their independence. People had their feedback sought at the end of the service and all were complimentary about the care workers and service provided. The service had a complaints procedure in place. No complaints had been received in the last 12 months.

People’s care and support was planned in partnership with them. The service was able to give people encouragement to regain their confidence. Care workers had a consistent rota that provided people with continuity of care staff. People were made aware when there were changes to care workers rotas.

People were happy with how staff administered their medicines and staff had received training to enable them to undertake this task. People and relatives felt positive about the caring attitudes of the care staff. All confirmed they were happy and that staff treated them with kindness and respect.

People were supported by staff who received training in order that they could carry out their roles effectively and competently. Staff had received additional training so that they could provide specialised equipment if required. Care co-ordinators undertook staff supervisions and spot checks and all staff felt well supported and happy in their roles although staff had not received an annual appraisal for over 12 months. The registered manager monitored the quality of the service along with the care co-ordinators.