Gloucester Homecare Services Ltd

The management team had recognised that the systems used to monitor the service needed further development to ensure that the quality of care being provided would be sustained if the service expanded. For example, improvements were being made to the systems which audited people's care and medicines records, staff rotas and staff development. A new management team had been employed to assist them in addressing the shortfalls before the service expanded. We have made a recommendation about the governance systems used to monitor the service.

People and their relatives praised the staff and told us all the staff were caring and respectful. They told us arrived on time and their calls were never missed. Staff were passionate in ensuring people received care which was person centred and that people's dignity and choices were maintained throughout.

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 felt amongst staff and that their privacy and dignity was continually respected at all times. Staff had been trained in safeguarding people and protecting them from harm. Any concerns or accidents were reported and acted on

People's care needs were assessed and recorded on an electronic care plan system which could be accessed by staff on their mobile devices. However, more details of the actions staff should take to assist them in managing their care needs, medicines and risks were needed for some people.

Progress was being made in identifying and addressing the training and support needs of staff. Staff told us they felt supported and that the new management team were approachable. Staff were safely recruited and suitably inducted into their role. The manager and staff were passionate about the care they delivered and were driven to improve the service. They worked in conjunction with families and other health care professionals to improve the lives for people.

The management team had recognised that the systems used to monitor the service needed further development to ensure that the quality of care being provided would be sustained if the service expanded. For example, improvements were being made to the systems which audited people's care and medicines records, staff rotas and staff development. A new management team had been employed to assist them in addressing the shortfalls before the service expanded. We have made a recommendation about the governance systems used to monitor the service.

The manager monitored the quality of the delivery of care through staff observations and feedback from people while the monitoring systems were being developed to ensure people were satisfied with the care they received and to check that the care practices of staff were being maintained.

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