Archived: All Star Care

Updated 29 December 2015

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection took place on the 5 November 2015. This visit was announced, which meant the provider and staff knew we were coming. We did this to ensure that appropriate office staff were available to talk with us, and that people using the service were made aware that we may contact them to obtain their views.

An inspector and an expert by experience in older people’s care undertook this inspection. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. The expert by experience helped us with the telephone calls to get feedback from people.

Before the inspection we reviewed other information we held about the service. On the day of the inspection we spoke with the registered manager who was also the provider. We contacted five people that used the service by telephone. In addition to this we spoke with a further two care staff following the inspection.

Over the course of the day we spent time reviewing the records of the service. We looked at four staff files, staff rotas and other records related to the management of the service. We also reviewed five care plans and other relevant documentation to support our findings.

Updated 29 December 2015

We inspected All Star Care on the 5 November 2015. All Star Care is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care for a range of people living in their own homes. These included older people and people with a physical impairment. At the time of our inspection the service supported five people and employed four staff.

The service had a registered manager. 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.

All Star Care has not been previously inspected. We found areas of practice that required improvement.

Should people lack mental capacity to make specific decisions, the service was guided by the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) to ensure any decisions were made in the person’s best interests. However, despite senior staff having appropriate knowledge, we found that care staff had not received formal training around the MCA. This is an area of practice that requires improvement.

Medicines were managed safely and people received the support they required from staff. There were systems in place to ensure that medicines were administered and reviewed appropriately.

The service had good systems in place to keep people safe. Assessments of risks to people had been developed and reviewed. The service employed enough, qualified and trained staff, and ensured safety through appropriate recruitment practices.

People said they always got their care visit, they were happy with the care and the staff that supported them. One person told us, “It’s a very good service. They are very helpful, they do what I want”.

People told us they were involved in the planning and review of their care. We were given examples that showed the service had followed good practice and safe procedures in order to keep people safe.

Staff received an induction, basic training and additional specialist training in areas such as dementia care, nutrition and first aid. Staff had group and one to one meetings which were held regularly, in order for them to discuss their role and share any information or concerns.

If needed, people were supported with their food and drink and this was monitored if required.

The needs and choices of people had been clearly documented in their care plans. Where people’s needs changed the service acted quickly to ensure the person received the care and support they required. A member of staff told us, “We know our clients, and you can tell if they are not quite right”.

People and their family members told us they were supported by kind and caring staff. A person told us, “They are very caring and respectful to me”. Another said “Oh yes, they are very kind. My son was impressed with them. Very kind”. Staff were able to tell us about the people they supported, for example their personal histories and their interests.

People’s personal preferences, likes and dislikes were recorded on file and staff encouraged people to be involved in their care. A person told us, “Yes, the care I get is what I agreed and want”.

People knew how to raise concerns or complaints. People and their relatives were regularly consulted by the provider using surveys and meetings. A person told us, “I had a questionnaire and filled it out recently”.

The registered manager provided good leadership and support to the staff. One member of staff told us, “I’ve been able to approach [the registered manager] with anything, she has been really supportive with me”.

Quality assurance was undertaken by the provider to measure and monitor the standard of the service provided.