Callquest For Care

This assessment was undertaken due to the length of time since the last inspection.

We identified 3 breaches of the legal regulation in relation to safe care and treatment, staffing and governance at the service.

We found that governance of the service had not always been robust, although people were happy with the care and support they received. Some risks for people had not been assessed such as risks related to catheter support or people’s specific health conditions and care plans lacked sufficient detail to guide staff. Accurate and contemporaneous records of the care provided had not always been recorded such as about catheter care given. People’s care records had not always been reviewed when there had been changes in their care needs. We raised this with the registered manager who took action to review and update people’s care records following the assessment.

Despite insufficient care records, care was delivered by the registered manager and 1 carer and therefore staff knew people well and what care and support they required.

Staffing levels were sufficient to meet people’s needs, however needed careful and responsive planning when staff needed time off work. People told us they generally experienced timely care, although records did not always accurately reflect call times or duration. Staff had not been supported to maintain regular training to maintain their skills. For example, staff had not received training in moving and handling support or medicine administration. We raised this with the registered manager who began to enrol staff on training following the assessment.

We found medicines had not always been managed safely as the service had been secondary dispensing a person’s medicines. We raised this with the registered manager who took immediate action to change how the person’s medicine stock was received from the pharmacy to prevent any further secondary dispensing.

Leadership was visible and responsive, with the registered manager open to feedback and taking immediate steps to improve areas identified during the inspection. However, governance systems were not yet fully embedded, with limited auditing, oversight and quality assurance in place. Overall, the service demonstrated a caring culture but needed to strengthen systems to ensure consistently safe, effective and well-led care.

We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.