11 and 17 November 2015
During a routine inspection
This inspection was carried out on 11 and 17 November 2015. Greenslade Services Limited is a domiciliary care service (DCS). A DCS is an establishment that provides specific hours of care and support to a person within their own home. This inspection was announced so as to ensure that someone would be in the office during our visit.
The registered manager had recently been appointed into post. 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.
People were kept safe by appropriately trained and competent staff. Sufficient numbers of staff were involved in delivering the care packages of individual people. Staff were matched with people in accordance with needs, knowledge, age, hobbies and general personality. Systems were employed by the service to recruit suitable staff to work with people. Staff were trained in how to keep people safe by being aware and observant for signs of abuse, and how to report concerns promptly.
We were told by people and their relatives that they were happy with the service that they were receiving. The staff were caring in their manner, and ensured that they maintained the person’s dignity at all times. Care plans were reflective of how support needed to be delivered incorporating the views of the person and their family. Six monthly reviews of care plans involved people and their families, where appropriate.
People were supported with their medicines by competent and suitably trained staff. Medicines were managed safely and securely. Medicines administration records (MAR sheets) illustrated correct administration and were audited weekly.
Those individuals who were unable to make specific decisions related to their care and support had their legal rights protected. The care plans showed that when decisions had been made for people about their care, where they lacked capacity, these were done in their best interest.
The service was audited and monitored by the management on a continual basis. Weekly and monthly internal audits, feedback from people sought every quarter during spot checks and bi-annual quality assurance audits enabled the service to develop action plans. New action plans were being introduced by management to continually improve the service.
We found evidence of compliments and complaints that highlighted how the management worked transparently.