Apollo Home Healthcare Limited-North West

Updated 20 December 2018

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 was an announced inspection and was conducted by one adult social care inspector on the 14 November 2018. The inspection was announced in line with our guidance to ensure there was someone in the office.

We requested and received 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 any improvements they plan to make. We used this information to help plan the inspection.

Before our inspection visit we reviewed the information we held about the service. This included notifications the provider had made to us. Notifications tell us about any incidents or events that affect people who use the service. We also asked Rochdale Healthwatch and local authority for their views; they did not have any concerns about the service.

We spoke with three people who used the service, two relatives, the deputy manager, the commercial director, clinical lead and three care staff members.

During our inspection we observed the support provided by staff in the homes we visited. We looked at the care records of three people and medicines administration records for eight people who used the service. We also looked at the recruitment, training and supervision records for four members of staff, minutes of meetings and a variety of other records related to the management of the service.

Updated 20 December 2018

North West Office - Apollo Home Healthcare Limited is a Domiciliary Care service that provides complex care to both adults and children in their own homes. At the time of the inspection there were 50 people using the service.

The service had a registered manager. 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. The registered manager had held the position since April 2017.

Staff we spoke with were aware of how to protect vulnerable people and had safeguarding policies and procedures to guide them, which included the contact details of the local authority to report to.

Recruitment procedures were robust and ensured new staff should be safe to work with vulnerable adults. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs.

There was a medicines policy and guidance for staff around safe administration. Staff had undertaken medicines training and competency checks were regularly undertaken. Medicines were administered as prescribed.

Staff were trained in infection control topics and issued with personal protective equipment to help prevent the spread of infection.

The service was working within the legal requirements of The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).

People received a nutritious diet and were encouraged to plan their diet, shop and where possible were supported to make their own meals.

Staff received an induction and were supported when they commenced employment to become competent to work with vulnerable people. Staff were trained and supervised to feel confident within their roles. Staff were encouraged to take further training in health and social care topics such as a diploma.

We visited three people in their own homes and saw staff knew people well and had a kind and caring attitude.

There were systems and equipment provided to people who were not able to communicate verbally to ensure their needs were met.

Where it was part of a person’s care package people had a range of activities they could attend which were suitable to their age, gender and beliefs.

There was a relevant complaints procedure. We saw where a complaint was made the service responded to find a suitable solution.

Care plans and risk assessments were in place, regularly reviewed and gave staff guidance to meet people’s needs.

Staff thought the service was well-led and the two people we talked to thought staff, including managers, were approachable. On the home visits we saw the deputy manager was well known to people who used the service and family members.

There were systems to check the quality of service provision to help management maintain and improve standards.

The service liaised well with other organisations to help meet people’s health and social care needs.