Alcedo Care St Helens, Wigan and Warrington

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

Staff thoroughly assessed people's needs prior to a service starting. Care plans included information about support required in areas such as nutrition, mobility and personal care to help inform care provision. Staff made appropriate referrals to other agencies and professionals when required.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People told us they were well treated and their equality and diversity respected. People felt staff respected their privacy and dignity and took into account their views when agreeing on the support required. Staff identified people's communication needs and addressed these with appropriate actions, for example, speaking clearly and slowly where there was a hearing impairment or matching a staff member with appropriate language skills to a person.

Managers responded to complaints appropriately and used these to inform improvement to care provision. The provider was open and honest, in dealing with concerns raised. The management team were available for people to contact and undertook regular quality checks, to help ensure continued good standards of care.

The provider and registered manager followed governance systems which provided effective oversight and monitoring of the service. These governance systems and processes ensured the service provided to people met their assessed needs.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk