Apollo Home Healthcare Limited received a Good rating across all five key questions at its first CQC inspection in June 2016, demonstrating safe, person-centred care with strong staff training, robust medicines management, and effective governance. No breaches of regulation were identified and people, relatives, and staff were consistently positive about the service.
Strengths
· People and relatives felt reassured about safety; staff checked equipment before use and followed individual risk assessments including pressure care repositioning protocols.
· Staff received highly regarded, person-specific training with work-based competency checks reviewed annually, described by one staff member as 'the best training I have had in 10 years in care'.
· People and relatives were involved in selecting their care teams, reviewing care plans before sign-off, and providing feedback that led to service changes.
· Medicines were managed safely with annual training, competency checks, stock checks, and audits completed by a registered nurse.
· Quality governance included weekly risk management conference calls, spot checks, and action plans; a medicines signing error was identified, addressed, and a live medicines reference sheet introduced.
Quality-Statement breakdown (17)
safe: Equipment safety checks and risk assessmentsGood
safe: Safeguarding awareness and reportingGood
safe: Staffing levelsGood
safe: Medicines managementGood
safe: Recruitment checksGood
effective: Staff induction and trainingGood
effective: Mental Capacity Act compliance and consentGood
effective: Nutrition, hydration and health supportGood
caring: People's and relatives' satisfaction with staffGood
caring: Privacy and dignityGood
caring: Independence and choiceGood
responsive: Person-centred care and knowledge of preferencesGood
responsive: Involvement in care reviewGood
responsive: Complaints handlingGood
well-led: Management support for staff and familiesGood
Apollo Home Healthcare Limited (West Midlands Office) was rated Good across all five key questions at its March 2019 inspection, demonstrating strong person-centred care, robust medicines management and effective safeguarding. The main area for improvement was staff sickness contingency planning, which had resulted in cancelled visits and delays to care packages commencing for some people.
Concerns (4)
moderateMissed or late visits — “Three people/relatives told us that they were disappointed that calls had been cancelled at short notice due to staff sickness.”
moderateStaffing levels — “The service had difficulties recruiting and training the number of staff required to fulfil the commitments they had made to some people that used the service.”
moderateStaff training — “a lack of suitably trained staff had resulted in delays to a care package commencing...meant more time spent in hospital. The service could not keep to the time frame they agreed.”
minorCommunication with families — “one person/relative using the service and one health and social care professional told us that Apollo Home Healthcare had not communicated with them effectively regarding staffing problems.”
Strengths
· Person-centred care plans with detailed individual information including life history, goals and preferences via 'all about me' booklets
· Robust medicines management with MARS transcribed by registered nurses, auditing oversight and regular competency checks
· Comprehensive specialist training facility in-house covering complex needs such as tracheostomy, ventilation, PEG feeding and epilepsy
· Effective safeguarding systems with staff able to explain processes in detail and confident to raise concerns
· Regular audits (weekly, monthly and annually) covering medicines, care plans and training supporting a culture of continuous learning
Quality-Statement breakdown (22)
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuseGood
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and managementGood
safe: Staffing and recruitmentGood
safe: Using medicines safelyGood
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionGood
safe: Learning lessons when things go wrongGood
effective: Staff working together to provide consistent, effective, timely careGood
effective: Staff support: induction, training, skills and experienceGood
effective: Assessing people's needs and choices; delivering care in line with standards, guidance and the lawGood
effective: Supporting people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced diet; accessing healthcare servicesGood
effective: Ensuring consent to care and treatment in line with law and guidanceGood
caring: Ensuring people are well treated and supported; equality and diversityGood
caring: Supporting people to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their careGood
caring: Respecting and promoting people's privacy, dignity and independenceGood
responsive: Planning personalised care to meet people's needs, preferences, interests and give them choice and controlGood
responsive: Improving care quality in response to complaints or concernsGood
responsive: End of life care and supportGood
well-led: Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staffGood
well-led: Planning and promoting person-centred, high-quality care and understanding duty of candourGood
well-led: Managers and staff being clear about their roles, and understanding quality performance, risks and regulatory requirementsGood
well-led: Continuous learning and improving careGood