8 March 2019
During a routine inspection
Following the previous inspection in August 2018, a condition was placed on the provider’s registration to ensure all staff were provided with regular support mechanisms. This included checks on their competency, supervision and appraisal. At this inspection we found the service had arranged for staff to receive these checks and support, but they had not consistently been kept up-to-date in line with the provider’s policy. Following the inspection, we removed the condition on the provider’s registration but found a continued breach of Regulation 17 (Good Governance) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.
People’s experience of using this service:
Whilst the service had introduced systems to assess staff competency, supervision and appraisal these had not been consistently kept up-to-date in line with the provider’s own policy.
People provided positive feedback about the agency. They said staff were kind and caring and treated them well. Most people said they were happy with call times and received appropriate person-centred care and support.
Risks to people’s health and safety were appropriately assessed and mitigated. The service had electronic call monitoring in place to enable office staff to monitor staff in real time, helping to improve the safety of the service.
Staff received a range of training and support. However, the turnover rate was high with some staff saying they did not feel fully supported by management.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service generally supported this practice.
There were enough staff deployed in the right places to ensure people received a reliable service. Safe recruitment procedures were in place to ensure staff were of suitable character to work with vulnerable people.
A range of audits and checks were undertaken to help monitor the quality of the service. Some of these needed to be made more robust to ensure that the service consistently met CQC standards.
We made a recommendation for the provider to put in place a strategy to help support and retain staff.
Rating at last inspection: The service was last rated Requires Improvement in August 2018.
Why we inspected: We inspected Nightingale Social Care Staffing Agency to follow up on the conditions placed on the provider’s registration in December 2018 and to re-rate the service following the pervious inspection in August 2018.
Follow up: We will request an action plan detailing how the provider aims to make improvements to its governance arrangements. We will meet with the provider to discuss the improvements they intend to make to the service. We will re-inspect the service in the future to determine whether improvements have been made.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk