Stoke Heath Homecare Ltd is rated Good overall following a September 2023 inspection of 33 people receiving personal care, with strengths in safeguarding, medicines management, and leadership. The Caring domain was downgraded to Requires Improvement due to consistent reports of dignity and respect concerns, language barriers with newer staff, and people not always feeling involved in decisions about their own care.
Concerns (4)
moderate
Communication with families
: “Some of the staff are very caring...The newer staff don't seem to have enough English to communicate with mum, and they even talk over her to each other in their own language.”
moderatePerson-centred care: “I am not listened to, it seems that it's my voice that gets lost. I say it's my home and I should be able to say what I like being done.”
moderateCultural competency: “My main concern is that the carers' English is very poor, so it makes it difficult to communicate.”
minorConsent / capacity: “They have switched to everything being on their phone and that has my personal data on it. No one has ever asked me if that is OK or told me what safeguards are in place.”
Strengths
· Robust safeguarding processes with staff trained to recognise and report abuse and effective inter-agency working.
· Safe medicines management with no gaps or omissions in MAR records and effective medicines audits.
· Safe recruitment practices including DBS checks for all staff prior to commencement.
· Electronic monitoring system in place to ensure staff stayed with people for their allocated visit time.
· Comprehensive care plans reflecting people's communication, sensory, medical and psychological needs.
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: Assessing people's needs and choices; delivering care in line with standards, guidance and the lawGood
effective: Staff support: induction, training, skills and experienceGood
effective: Supporting people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced dietGood
effective: Staff working with other agencies to provide consistent, effective, timely careGood
effective: Ensuring consent to care and treatment in line with law and guidanceGood
caring: Respecting and promoting people's privacy, dignity and independence; respecting equality and diversityRequires improvement
caring: Supporting people to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their careRequires improvement
responsive: Planning personalised care to ensure people have choice and control and to meet their needs and preferencesGood
responsive: Meeting people's communication needsGood
responsive: Improving care quality in response to complaints or concernsGood
responsive: End of life care and supportGood
well-led: Promoting a positive culture that is person-centred, open, inclusive and empoweringGood
well-led: How the provider understands and acts on the duty of candourGood
well-led: Managers and staff being clear about their roles, and understanding quality performance, risks and regulatory requirementsGood
well-led: Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staffGood
well-led: Continuous learning and improving care; Working in partnership with othersGood