We carried out this review to check on the care and welfare of people using this service. We visited Archangel Domiciliary Care Agency in order to up date the information we hold and to establish that the needs of people using the service were being met. The visit was unannounced which meant the provider and the staff did not know we were coming. Following the visit we contacted four people who use the service, family members and spoke with eight members of staff. The people we spoke with were generally happy with the quality of support they received. We were told that they had regular care staff and knew what time to expect them. People using the service told us that the staff provided them with the support they required. One person using the service said, 'The staff that come into my home are always polite, I am very happy'. A staff member said. 'We work together well, we are a good team'. A new staff member said, 'People in the organisation are easy to talk to, I have no worries with ringing and checking things I am unsure about, they are very approachable'.
We saw that people who used the service had care assessments completed before the care delivery started. We saw copies of care plans that were available in people's homes; these were of varying standards with some requiring further information in them. Most staff told us that care plans were useful and gave them the necessary information to deliver appropriate care. One staff member said that they sometimes lacked relevant information. Care plans were not signed to show that people had agreed for care to be provided.
We saw that some people were supported with taking their medication. The records we viewed were of a poor quality and did not show evidence that people were having their medication as prescribed.
All the staff we spoke with, although not all trained, said they knew what to do if they had any concerns that people may be at risk of abuse. They all agreed that they could raise concerns with senior staff within the organisation and that their concerns would be listened to.
We viewed staff files during our visit and found that the organisation had a process for recruitment and training. The manager told us all staff employed by Archangel were subject to appropriate checks prior to commencing their role.