Archived: ACASA

Updated 31 August 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 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 26 July 2016 and was announced. The provider was given notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service. We needed to be sure that the appropriate staff would be available in the office to assist with the inspection.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

We looked at all the information we have collected about the service. This included notifications the registered manager had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to tell us about by law.

During the inspection visit we spoke with five staff members, the registered manager and one of the partners providing the service. After the day of the inspection we received written comments from a further staff member. We contacted six local authority and other professionals and received no responses. We spoke with three people who use the service and received written comments from a further four people.

We looked at a sample of records relating to individual’s care and the overall management of the service. These included eight people’s care plans and daily notes, a selection of policies and a sample of staff recruitment files and training records.

Updated 31 August 2016

This inspection took place on 26 July 2016 and was announced. ACASA is a domiciliary care service which offers support to people in their own homes. The service supports approximately165 people with diverse needs who live in the community. Services offered include a wide variety of support packages. The service registered in September 2015 and was in the process of reviewing its management arrangements.

There is a registered manager running the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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, staff and others were kept as safe as possible. Staff were appropriately trained and followed health and safety procedures. They knew how to recognise and manage any form of abuse or risk of harm. High quality risk assessments advised staff how to reduce risks, as much as possible. The recruitment procedure checked that staff were safe and suitable to provide people with care. The service carefully assessed what support people needed to take their medicine, Care staff provided the help needed, safely.

People were encouraged to make decisions about and plan their own care. People’s capacity to make decisions was recorded, if appropriate and necessary. Care staff made sure they provided people with care that met their individual needs, preferences and choices.

People’s legal rights were protected by staff who understood the Mental Capacity Act (2005). This legislation provides a legal framework that sets out how to act to support people who do not have capacity to make a specific decision.

People’s privacy and dignity were respected and promoted by a knowledgeable staff team. Staff understood how important it was to maintain people’s privacy and dignity and knew how to do so. People’s diversity was understood and people’s care reflected any special needs they may have had.

The service was well-led by a registered manager who had been in post since the service was registered in September 2015. Staff felt valued and supported by the management and senior staff team which reflected on the standard of care they were able to give people.

The management team constantly monitored and assessed the quality of care they offered, especially whilst establishing the new service. Shortfalls and improvements had been identified and had been or were being acted upon. The service had stabilised, improved and was continuing to develop and make further improvements.