Archived: Celtic Care Services Ltd (Swindon)

Updated 18 October 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 and 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 27 September 2017 and was announced. We told the provider two days before our visit that we would be coming. We did this because the manager is sometimes out of the office supporting staff or visiting people who use the service. We needed to be sure that they would be in. The inspection team consisted of two inspectors and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service and the service provider. The registered provider completed 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 improvements they plan to make. We looked at the notifications we had received for this service. Notifications are information about important events the service is required to send us by law.

We undertook phone calls to ten people who used the service and five relatives. In addition we spoke with one care worker, field co-ordinator, care coordinator and the registered manager. We looked at five people’s care records and four staff files that included their recruitment, supervision and training records. We also viewed a range of records about how the service was managed. After the inspection we contacted a number of external professionals and commissioners to obtain their views about the service.

Updated 18 October 2017

We inspected Celtic Care Services Ltd (Swindon) on 27 September 2017. Celtic Care Services are a Domiciliary Care Agency (DCA) registered to provide personal care in people’s own homes. At the time of our visit 42 people received personal care.

At our last inspection on 23 August 2016 we found the systems to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided were not always effective. There was also a lack of evidence that the registered manager ensured people's feedback was acted upon. Additionally people did not always receive effective care due to communication barriers they experienced with the staff. We also found not all risks to people had been fully assessed and recorded and staff did not have enough guidance on how to support people with administration of prescribed medicines. This resulted in two breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. After our inspection the provider sent us details of how they would meet their legal requirements relating to these breaches.

At this inspection we found the above issues had been addressed. The provider appointed a new designated registered manager for the Swindon branch. The registered manager ensured the processes to monitor the quality of the service were in place and effective. We found the registered manager assessed, monitored and mitigated risks relating to people’s health, safety and welfare. The provider introduced a new system to manage the administration of medicines and people received their medicines as prescribed. People’s feedback reflected they no longer experienced communication barriers with the staff. The registered manager ensured staff literacy skills had been assessed as a part of the recruitment process.

People told us they felt safe with the service. People were supported by sufficient and regular staff that knew them well. There were systems in place to plan and monitor care visits and manage the risk of late and missed visits. The registered manager followed safe recruitment process that ensured staff’s suitability to work with vulnerable people was checked and they were safe to work with people. Staff understood their responsibilities to identify and report any concerns relating to safeguarding vulnerable people. People were cared for by staff that received training suitable to their roles and were well supported.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and report on what we find. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The systems in the service supported this practice.

People were supported to meet their nutritional needs. People’s care plans outlined people’s dietary preferences and staff assisted people with preparing their meals when required. People were supported to access health professionals as needed.

People complimented the caring nature of staff. People told us staff were knowledgeable about their needs. People valued the relationships they had developed with staff. Staff were positive about their work and told us they enjoyed working with people. People’s dignity, privacy and confidentiality were respected.

People's needs were assessed prior to commencement of the service to ensure these could be met. People's care records were up to date and contained details of people's personal preferences, wishes and support required. People told us they received support that met their needs and complimented the responsiveness of the service. The provider’s complaints policy was available to people and concerns and complaints were managed appropriately. People’s feedback about the service was sought and acted upon if needed.

There was a positive and open culture at the service. The new registered manager implemented a number of quality assurance systems and they had an on-going action plan to ensure continuous development of the service provided to people. People, relatives, staff and professionals all complimented the service and how it was run.