Personal Assistant Recruitment and Employment Service (PARES)

Personal Assistant Recruitment and Employment Service (PARES) is a domiciliary care service providing personal care for people with a range of needs including people with dementia, learning or physical disabilities and autism.

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. At the time of the inspection the service was providing a personal care service for approximately ten people living on the Isle of Wight.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People and their relatives were happy with the care provided and felt staff were caring and compassionate. Care staff were skilled in delivering people's care in the way they preferred. They knew people well, which ensured their preferred routines were met. People and their relatives were involved with planning and reviewing their care.

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 told us they received safe care. Risk assessments were completed for people which identified any risks and how these should be managed. Staff had completed training in the safe administration of medicines.

Care staff understood the importance of safeguarding people they supported, and they knew how to report any signs of abuse, or any accidents and incidents.

Appropriate recruitment procedures were in place to help ensure only suitable staff were employed. Staff received an induction into their role and had received appropriate training that equipped them to support people.

A complaints procedure was in place, which people confirmed they were aware of. Concerns and complaints were listened to, addressed in a timely manner and resolved quickly.

Staff, people and relatives told us they had a good relationship with the management team and could seek support and assistance easily when needed. There were effective systems in place to monitor the safety and quality of the service.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

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

Rating at last inspection The last rating for this service was Good (published 21 July 2017).

Why we inspected This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

Personal Assistants Recruitment and Employment Service (PARES) provides personal care and support to people in their own homes. At the time of this inspection they were providing a personal care service to 12 people with a variety of care needs living in on the Isle of Wight.

There was a registered manager at the service. 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.

The management team had a clear vision of how they wanted the service to be provided which focused on ensuring people were at the centre of the service and in direct control over the way they received care and support.

The registered manager and provider were aware of key strengths and areas for development of the service. Quality assurance systems were in place using formal audits and through regular contact by the provider and registered manager with people, relatives and staff. People and relatives were able to complain or raise issues on a formal and informal basis with the registered

manager and were confident these would be resolved. Plans were in place to deal with foreseeable emergencies and staff had received training to manage such situations safely.

The service was flexible and responsive to people’s changing needs and focused on providing person centred care. People told us the care they received was personalised and they were fully involved with planning their care and choosing their staff members. People’s needs were reviewed regularly to ensure this remained appropriate for the person.

People felt safe and staff knew how to identify, prevent and report abuse. Staff were aware of consent and how this affected the care they provided. People said staff always obtained their consent before providing care. Staff offered people choices and respected their decisions. People were supported and encouraged to be as independent as possible and their dignity was promoted.

Care plans provided comprehensive information about how people wished to be cared for and staff were aware of people's individual care needs and preferences. Reviews of care involving people were conducted regularly. People had access to healthcare services and medicines were managed safely. People received support to manage their dietary needs if required.

People and their relatives said they were very happy with the service and care they received. They said staff were kind and caring. Staff had built good relationships with the people they provided care for. People and their relatives told us care was provided to them with respect for their dignity by a consistent care staff team. There were enough staff to meet people's needs. The recruitment process helped ensure staff were suitable for their role. Staff received appropriate training and were supported in their work.