Cambridgeshire Care Agency Limited was rated Good across all five key questions at its January 2016 inspection, demonstrating safe staffing, caring practice, and responsive leadership. Minor weaknesses were identified in staff understanding of the Mental Capacity Act and care record accuracy, with audits failing to consistently detect record-keeping gaps.
Concerns (4)
moderate
Consent / capacity
: “their knowledge about the MCA was not always embedded. The lack of understanding increased the risk that any decisions made on people's behalf by staff would not be in their best interest”
moderateRecord keeping: “one out of the three people's care and support plans we looked at was not up-to-date with correct information about how a person was supported with their medication”
moderateGovernance: “the care record audit undertaken had not identified that one of the care records we looked at had incorrect information about how a person was to be supported with their medication”
minorMedication management: “spot checks on staff medication competency were carried out but this was not always formally documented”
Strengths
· People felt safe and staff demonstrated knowledge of safeguarding responsibilities and reporting procedures
· Sufficient staffing levels with no evidence of missed care calls; staff were punctual and communicated proactively
· Staff were caring, respectful, and promoted people's dignity, privacy, and independence
· Robust pre-employment checks including DBS, references, and proof of identity
· Comprehensive staff training programme covering safeguarding, medication, moving and handling, infection control, and more
Cambridgeshire Care Agency Limited was rated Good overall at its January 2019 inspection, maintaining the same rating as its previous inspection. Minor concerns were noted around staff communication of changing care needs and an unreported medication support change, both of which the registered manager addressed promptly post-inspection.
Concerns (3)
moderateCommunication with families: “not all staff were clear about their responsibility to quickly notify the registered manager when people's care and support needs changed”
moderateMedication management: “staff were now helping the person with their medicine. Staff told us that they had not reported this change in support to the registered manager”
minorRecord keeping: “care records did not document whose responsibility it was to organise the servicing of this equipment”
Strengths
· Registered manager provided hands-on leadership and monitored service quality with audits and action plans
· Safe and effective recruitment practices were followed including relevant pre-employment checks
· Staff received regular supervisions, appraisals, training and support including the Care Certificate induction
· Person-centred care plans written from the person's viewpoint with full involvement in planning
· Incidents used as a learning tool to further ensure people's and staff's safety and well-being