Archived: Harrow DCA

We saw examples of the new individual support plan assessment format. It included questions that showed each person's views and choices about their care. We saw evidence that many people who had received short term reablement support chose to remain with Harrow DCA when they required long term care.

We saw the provider's new policy and procedures for handling medicines. It contained clear definitions of administration of medicines. We spoke with four care workers who all said that they had read the policy and had recent training on the procedures for handling medicines. One care worker said that the training was useful. They said that previously they did not always have clear information on medicines for the people they supported, but now medicines administration records were in place with information on the medicines for everyone who needed assistance.

We saw the on line system for scheduling work for care workers. It highlighted the maximum hours that each person with a work visa was allowed to work, and flagged up an alert if they were allocated more than the allowed number of hours.

Every person using the service had been visited to agree new personal contracts. However the provider had no process for assessing the capacity of people to agree the contracts.

Appropriate arrangements were not in place in relation to the recording of medicine. The policy and training on administering medicines did not ensure that staff administered and recorded prescribed medicines safely and appropriately.

Appropriate checks were undertaken before staff began work. But checks were not in place to ensure that permissions to work in this country were complied with accurately.

The care workers we spoke with told us that the training provided them with the skills that they needed.

The provider had a system for a monthly analysis of the quality of all the provider's services. People who use the service, their representatives and staff were asked for their views about their care and treatment. Most of the people we spoke with said that they had not made any complaints. One person felt that their concerns were listened to, and the situation had improved.