Network Healthcare Professionals Limited - Plymouth

The Care Quality Commission (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 were provided with adequate travel time to enable them to carry out visits at the time of the person's choosing. Staff had sufficient time to meet people's needs. People confirmed their visits were made as planned.

Risks were identified, assessed and recorded. Any environmental risks to visiting staff were also assessed.

There were systems to help protect people from abuse and to investigate any allegations, incidents or accidents.

People told us they felt safe when being supported by staff. One relative told us, "Yes, absolutely, I am very happy. The big thing is that they treat (Person's name) with care and dignity" and "Yes, my husband feels safe, and they are very kind and friendly."

There were robust systems and processes in place when staff supported people with their financial transactions, such as purchasing shopping etc.

Care plans were completed for each person and contained details of the person's needs and preferences. Care plans were reviewed regularly to help ensure they were up to date and relevant.

Recruitment processes were robust, and new staff had sufficient support during their induction before working alone with people. Staff told us they felt well supported at all times. One told us, "There is always someone we can call any time of day. If necessary, they will come out and help us."

The provider had implemented effective quality assurance systems to monitor the quality and safety of the service provided. Spot checks were carried out to monitor staff performance. Audits of all aspects of the service were completed by the registered manager and shared with the provider. There was a service

improvement plan in place to help ensure the service remained compliant with the regulations.

People told us they were regularly asked for their views and experiences of the service provided. Comments included, "Oh yes, they do send surveys, we had one about a fortnight ago and they often ring up and ask us if there is anything they can do to improve" and "Yes, they send surveys and ring to check in with me."

People and their relatives spoke positively about staff and told us they were happy with the service they received. We were told staff were friendly, they were treated with kindness and compassion and their privacy and dignity was respected. Comments included, "I am very appreciative of care and I have no problem with it at all and some of them go above and beyond - they are wonderful."

People were supported by staff who had been appropriately trained and were skilled in their role. When a new package of care was accepted, for a person with specific care needs, staff were provided with the required training to help ensure they were competent to meet those needs.

People received support to maintain good health and were supported to maintain a balanced diet where this was part of their care plan. Staff monitored some people's food and drink intake as well as their weight. They also worked closely with healthcare professionals to help ensure people were as healthy as possible.

Staff understood the importance of respecting people's diverse needs and promoting independence. People were always asked for their consent prior to care being provided.

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. Staff worked closely with the Court of Protection when required to restrict people in any way.

There were clear lines of responsibility which were known and understood by the staff team.

There was a registered manager at the time of this inspection.

For more information, please read the detailed findings section of this report. If you are reading this as a separate summary, the full report can be found on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk