Archived: Allcare Nurses Agency Limited

Updated 16 April 2016

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.

In accordance with our guidance we told the provider we were undertaking this inspection to ensure someone was in the office to meet us. This announced inspection took place on the 08 and 09 March 2016 and was conducted by one inspector.

This service supports people who live in their own homes or provided support in other settings such as a day centre. We looked at the care records for five people who used the service (three at the office and two at a day centre). We also looked at a range of records relating to how the service was managed; these included training records, recruitment, quality assurance audits and policies and procedures. People who used the service had complex needs and could not communicate with us verbally. We spoke with a family member, four members of staff and the manager

Before this inspection we reviewed previous inspection reports and notifications that we had received from the service. We did not request a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and any improvements they plan to make.

We also asked Blackburn with Darwen Healthwatch and the local authority safeguarding and contracts departments for their views of the service. No concerns were raised.

Updated 16 April 2016

Allcare Nurses Agency is located in Blackburn Lancashire. The agency is registered to provide nursing care and support to adults and children with complex medical needs in their own home.

The service were last inspected on the 16 August 2014 when they met all the regulations we inspected.

The service did not have a registered manager. The current manager had applied to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to become registered and was awaiting an interview. A service cannot be judged as good in this domain if there is no manager registered with the CQC. 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 a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Staff were aware of and had been trained in safeguarding procedures to help protect the health and welfare of people who used the service.

Risk assessments for health needs or environmental hazards helped protect the health and welfare of people who used the service but did not restrict their lifestyles.

Plans of care were individual to each person and showed staff had taken account of their wishes. Plans of care were regularly reviewed.

People who used the service had complex needs and staff were trained in how to support each individual. We saw details in the plans of care for how staff should support people to take sufficient food and fluids.

People who used the service had access to a range of activities they enjoyed and included exercise to keep healthy.

The agency asked for people’s views around how the service was performing and we saw evidence that the manager responded to their views.

There was a suitable complaints procedure for people to voice their concerns. There had not been any major concerns since the last inspection.

We observed a good rapport between people who used the service and staff. We saw that staff appeared to know people well and understand their needs. This included the complex communication needs of people who used this service.

Staff were recruited using current guidelines to help minimise the risk of abuse to people who used the service.

Staff were trained in medicines administration and supported people to take their medicines if it was a part of their care package. Some staff received training to give medicines for epilepsy when required.

Staff received an induction and were supported when they commenced work to become competent to work with vulnerable people. Staff were well trained and supervised to feel confident within their roles. Staff were encouraged to take further training in health and social care topics.

Management conducted audits to ensure the service was performing well or devised an action plan for any area they found lacking.

The office was suitable for providing a domiciliary care service and was staffed during office hours and there was an on call service for people to contact out of normal working hours.

People who used the service thought managers were accessible and available to talk to.