Helping Hands Northampton

People's experience of using this service and what we found.

Enough staff were employed to meet people's needs though timely calls were not always in place to provide personal care.

Quality assurance systems were not fully in place to ensure people were provided with a quality service.

Staff training was in place but needed to be organised so that new staff have the opportunity to digest new training. Training on all people's health conditions was not yet provided.

Staff were not always well supported with their workload and their concerns about their ability to provide a quality service to people.

People and relatives said their concerns had not always resulted in changes to ensure timely care was provided.

People and their relatives were satisfied with the personal care that staff provided.

People and relatives said safe care was provided, with people protected against abuse, neglect and discrimination.

Details of how to reduce risks to people's safety were included in people's care plans. Care plans reflected people's individual needs and preferences.

Safe recruitment practices were in place to ensure only suitable staff worked at the service.

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 and relatives told us people were treated with respect and dignity and staff had a caring and friendly approach to them. They said they had good relationships with staff.

Staff respected people's privacy and encouraged them to maintain their independence and do as much for themselves as they wanted to.

The registered manager understood their responsibilities and worked in an open and transparent way.

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