All inspections: Atlas Care Services Peterborough

Atlas Care Services - Peterborough is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. There were 110 people receiving personal care from the service when we visited. The inspection took place on 12 and 13 October 2017.

At the last inspection on 10 September 2015 the service was rated as ‘Good’. At this inspection we found the service remained ‘Good’.

A registered manager was not in post at the time of the inspection. However, a manager was in place who was in the process of applying to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to become registered. 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.

Systems continued to be in place to manage risks to people using the service and to keep them safe. This included assisting people safely with their mobility, personal care and medicines.

There were sufficient numbers of staff to safely assist and support people. The recruitment and selection procedure ensured that only suitable staff were employed to provide care and support to people using the service.

The manager and staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005. People were supported to have choice and control over their lives as much as possible. Staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and procedures in the service supported this practice.

People’s needs were assessed, so that their care can continue to be planned and delivered in a consistent way. The manager,supervisors and care staff were knowledgeable about the people they supported and knew their care needs well. People were assisted with their meal choices where required.

Staff were clear about the values of the service in relation to providing people with care in a dignified and respectful manner.

There were processes in place to assess, monitor and improve the service. People had been consulted about how they wished their care to be delivered and their choices had been respected.

People, their relatives and staff were provided with the opportunity to give their feedback about the quality of the service provided.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

Atlas Care Services Peterborough provides personal care to people who live in their own homes. There were 90 people using the service when we visited. The inspection took place on 10 September 2015 and we gave the provider 48-hours’ notice before we visited. This was to ensure that the registered manager was available to facilitate the inspection.

The last inspection was carried out on 10 October 2013 when we found the provider was meeting the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 we assessed.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (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.

Staff were knowledgeable about reporting any abuse. There were a sufficient number of staff and recruitment procedures ensured that only suitable staff were employed. Risk assessments were in place and actions were taken to reduce identified risks. Some improvements were needed to ensure that people were supported and protected with the safe management of medicines.

Staff had received training on the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). This legislation sets out how to proceed when people do not have capacity and what guidelines must be followed to ensure that people’s freedoms are not restricted.

Staff were supported and trained to do their job but additional guidance regarding the administration of a specific medication was needed so that care needs could be fully met. The staff were in contact with a range of social care professionals to ensure that care and support was well coordinated. Risk assessments were in place to ensure that care and support could be safely provided.

People’s privacy and dignity were respected and their care and support was provided in a caring and a patient way.

A complaints procedure was in place and complaints had been responded to, to the satisfaction of the complainant. People felt able to raise concerns with the staff at any time.

The provider had quality assurance processes and procedures in place to monitor the quality and safety of people’s care. People, their relatives and care staff were able to make suggestions in relation to the support and care being provided by the service.

People were satisfied with the standard and quality of their support and care. They said, however, that they preferred to be looked after by members of staff who they knew. This was because they had built up a trusting and healthy relationship with those members of staff who had frequently supported the person with their care needs.

Systems were in place for the safe use and management of people's prescribed medication. People told us that they were satisfied with how they were supported with their prescribed medication.

Staff received relevant support and training to safely do their job, which they said they found enjoyable and rewarding. Work was in progress to ensure that all staff had attended formal sessions to review their job performance and training and development needs.

Quality assurance systems were in place which had enabled people to share their views about their support and care. Other quality assurance systems were in place, to improve the quality of the service and to protect people, including their family members, from unsafe and inappropriate support and care.

All of the people who were spoken with said that they were satisfied with the standard of support and care they had received. They told us that they had enough information about their support and care, were treated in a respectful way, their choices were valued and they knew what to do if they had a concern or complaint. However, we found that people had not had cause to complain.

People received safe and appropriate care that allowed them to remain living at home.

Care records were maintained to ensure that people received safe and appropriate care in a consistent way.

People were protected from the risk of abuse due to effective safeguarding systems in place.

Effective staff recruitment and training systems were in place to ensure that people who used the service received safe and appropriate care from suitable staff.

There was an effective system in place for people to make a complaint and to be listened to.

Atlas Care Services Peterborough

All Inspections

12 October 2017

During a routine inspection

10 September 2015

During a routine inspection

10 October 2013

During a routine inspection

26 September 2012

During a routine inspection