Alina Homecare Borehamwood & Cheshunt

We last inspected Alina Homecare North London on 5, 6, 7 and 8 June 2017 and the service was rated requires improvement. Since the last inspection there has been a change in the provider's company name. Alina Homecare Barnet was first registered in June 2017 and originally comprised certain acquired homecare branches covering the boroughs of Haringey, Brent and Barnet. This means that although the agency has been registered as a new service, there is a clear link between an archived provider and the currently registered one.

The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.

People told us the care they received was of a good standard and that they valued the support of their carers. People's feedback about their experience of the service was positive. People said staff treated them respectfully and asked them how they wanted their care and support to be provided. Staff arrived on time and stayed for the allotted time and if carers were running late most people were notified of this.

People told us there was a stable staff team and that care was provided by familiar carers. Staff told us that travel times were sufficient, so they were not rushed.

People were supported to take their medicines safely and in accordance with the prescribed instructions. The service worked with healthcare services to deliver effective care and support.

Care records were comprehensive, up to date and person centred providing a holistic view of people's needs. Risk assessments provided detailed advice for staff to minimise harm. These included any environmental risks in people's homes and any risks in relation to the care and support needs of the person. People told us they were involved in decisions about their care and were aware of their care plans. Staff were knowledgeable about the people they cared for and responded appropriately as people's needs changed.

People were supported to have choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. There were processes in place at service and provider level to monitor the quality of the service and ensure continuous improvement in quality. Reviews of care, regular spot check visits and phone calls had been made to people using the service and their relatives to obtain feedback about the staff and the care provided. The provider had sent out and acted on feedback following quality surveys to make continuous improvement.

Staff recruitment was safe and staff were supported to meet people's needs through a combination of comprehensive induction, supervision and training. Regular staff meetings took place so staff were able to contribute to how the service was run and were kept informed. The provider supported staff well and this helped with continuity of care to people.

Staff wore protective clothing such as gloves and aprons when needed. This reduced the risk of cross infection. Supplies were readily available at the office for staff to take as needed.

The service listened and responded to people's concerns and complaints, and used this to improve the quality of care. The service learnt lessons and made improvements when things went wrong.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found