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Archived: Suite 5, Lancashire Digital Technology Centre

Overall: Requires improvement read more about inspection ratings

Bancroft Road, Burnley, Lancashire, BB10 2TP (01282) 872320

Provided and run by:
Stella Maris Limited

All Inspections

5 April 2016

During a routine inspection

We carried out an announced inspection of Suite 5, Lancashire Digital Technology Centre on the 5 and 6 April 2016.

Suite 5, Lancashire Digital Technology Centre provides personal care and support and domestic services to people living in their own homes in Burnley and the surrounding areas. The service is mainly provided to older people with needs relating to old age, including people living with dementia. The office is situated on a business estate on the outskirts of Burnley. At the time of the inspection the service was providing support to 10 people.

At the previous inspection on 6 December 2013 we found the service was meeting all the standards assessed.

The service was managed by 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.

During this inspection visit we found four breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, relating to ineffective quality assurance, management of people’s medicines, training and supervision and recruitment processes. You can see what action we told the registered provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.

People felt the agency was well organised. However, during our inspection we found a number of areas in need of improvement. This meant the systems to assess and monitor the quality of the service, including obtaining feedback from people were not effective.

People and their relatives were happy with the service they received from Suite 5, Lancashire Digital Technology Centre. They told us they felt safe using the service. Staff were able to describe the action they would take if they witnessed or suspected any abusive or neglectful practice. However we found staff had not received any recent safeguarding vulnerable adults training or any training related to the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

We found the training and monitoring to ensure people received safe support with their medicines needed to be improved. Safe recruitment processes had not been followed which could place people at risk from unsuitable staff. Staff had not received ongoing development and supervision to ensure they had the skills and knowledge to safely support people.

People told us staff were respectful of their privacy and maintained their dignity. People told us the staff were kind and caring. People told us they received care and support from staff they were familiar with and who arrived on time, never missed a visit and stayed the agreed amount of time.

Care records were an accurate reflection of the person’s care and support needs and they were reviewed regularly to reflect changes to the person’s needs and circumstances. Staff were knowledgeable about people’s individual needs, backgrounds and personalities and were familiar with the content of people’s care plans. People had been involved with their care plans and the ongoing reviews.

Processes were in place to monitor and respond to people’s health care needs. Where appropriate people were supported with eating and drinking.

The complaints procedure provided information on the action to take if a person wished to raise any concerns. People told us they had no complaints but were aware of the complaints procedure and processes and were confident they would be listened to.

10 December 2013

During a routine inspection

We spoke with the registered manager, two staff members and a family member over the telephone. We also visited a person who used the service and a family member. Family members told us, "They are very reliable. His main carer goes above and beyond what she has to do. They are a very good service for us" and "I think it is a good service and as a family we highly recommend them to anyone else". A person who used the service said staff were very kind. Relatives were very satisfied with the care and support given to their family member.

Plans of care were person centred (which meant they were developed for each individual), told staff exactly what they needed to do during each visit and were updated on a regular basis. Plans of care gave staff the details to look after the people who used the service.

The recruitment procedures were robust to help ensure staff who looked after people were suitable for their roles.

There was an effective complaints procedure for people to raise any concerns. Concerns and compliments were recorded and the service took action to address any problems. All the people we spoke with praised the service and said they had no complaints.

The service operated out of a suitable modern office and people who used the service and their family members said they were able to contact the agency out of normal office hours.

7 February 2013

During an inspection looking at part of the service

At our last inspection visit we had concerns the provider did not have effective systems to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service people received and that some records were not always accurate or maintained in line with the regulation. Following the inspection visit we were sent an action plan informing us the management of records had been improved.

We revisited the service and looked at some of the records that would help to protect people from the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care. We looked at the records of four people receiving a service and the records of three staff. We found the records were accurate and up to date and regular checks were in place to maintain this.

17 July 2012

During a routine inspection

At our last inspection (December 2011) we identified some concerns. We asked the provider to send us an action plan to indicate how and when they would achieve compliance with the regulations. During this visit we reviewed our previous concerns and looked at whether the provider had taken reasonable action to improve the service.

During this inspection visit we talked to two people who used the service and one relative. They told us they were 'satisfied' or 'very happy' with the service and the care and support they received met their needs. Comments included, "I am very happy with the service" and "I think we are very lucky to get such a good service; they are brilliant".

People told us the care staff were reliable and punctual. We were told they were provided with the same staff and knew who was arriving to provide their care. One person said, "They let me know who is coming; it makes me feel safer".

All the people who we spoke with were happy with the care staff. Comments included, "They are all very friendly; they are lovely ladies" and "They are all brilliant".

People told us they were treated well and had no concerns about the service or with individual care staff. Comments included, "I feel very safe", "I trust them to do things properly" and "I have complete peace of mind; I trust them without question".

We spoke with two members of the management team and two care staff. Care staff told us, "I enjoy my work", "We have a good team; we support each other" and "It's a good agency; I enjoy working for them".

However the agency did not have effective systems to ensure a high quality service was maintained. We still had some concerns as the provider did not have a system to monitor the service and records were not always accurate or maintained. This meant that people could be at risk of inappropriate care and the risks of non compliance with the regulations may not be recognised.