Home Instead - Gloucester and The Forest of Dean

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. 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.

Safe medicines management and infection control practices were being used by staff who had been trained and assessed as competent in these areas.

People confirmed that they received person-centred and responsive care. Care plans and risk assessments were in place to direct staff on people's support requirements and preferences. The risk management and escalation plans for some people and protocols for medicines to be administered 'as required' needed more detail to guide staff on their actions if people became unwell. The provider has since taken action to address this concern.

There were enough suitably recruited and trained staff to meet people's needs. Staff received a comprehensive induction programme and completed regular training to support people's care needs. Staff told us they felt supported and valued by the provider.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People and their relatives were very positive about the service they received and the caring nature of staff. Staff had been introduced to people before they started to support them. It was clear from our conversations with people and their relatives that they had developed positive relationships with staff. We have recommended that the provider considers ways of demonstrating how they deliver an exceptional and distinctive service.

Systems were in place to gain people's feedback about the service they received and to manage any complaints. Records showed that appropriate actions were taken when incidents occurred. Communication between staff/managers and people and their relatives was timely and comprehensive to ensure all relevant

parties were aware of any changes in people's needs or additional support requirements. Staff worked in partnership with health care professionals as required to help people remain in their own homes.

The culture of the service was positive and open. People and staff felt the service was well managed and were confident in the provider's systems and policies to deliver good quality care. Regular quality assurance checks by the provider and representatives from the Home Instead franchise head office was carried out to ensure people's needs were being met and maintained