Atlas Care Services Peterborough was rated Good overall at its September 2015 inspection, with a Requires Improvement finding for Safe due to incomplete medication administration records and missing administration guidelines for Alendronic acid. All other key questions were rated Good, reflecting strong caring practice, effective governance, and a well-supported workforce.
Concerns (4)
moderate
Medication management
: “In some of the medication administration records (MARs) staff did not always enter the required code and therefore failed to complete the MARs as they should have done.”
moderateMedication management: “Guidelines were not in place for the administration of a specific medicine [Alendronic acid] and some staff we spoke with were not aware of how it should be administered.”
minorCare planning: “Some of the care plans we saw were not written in sufficient step by step detail to describe the care that was to be given. There were vague statements such as 'give assistance'.”
minorCommunication with families: “There have been some occasions when staff have been late and I have not always been contacted by the office.”
Strengths
· Staff were knowledgeable about safeguarding procedures and reporting responsibilities
· Sufficient staffing levels with robust recruitment procedures including DBS checks and references
· Staff received regular training, supervision, annual appraisal, and shadowing during induction
· People's privacy, dignity, and independence were respected; care delivered in a warm and patient manner
· Effective complaints procedure with complaints resolved to complainants' satisfaction
Atlas Care Services Peterborough retained its 'Good' rating across all five key questions at this October 2017 inspection, with 110 people receiving personal care in their own homes. The service demonstrated consistent safe practices, person-centred care and effective governance, with the only notable gap being the absence of a registered manager since August 2017, with an application to CQC in progress.
Concerns (2)
minorGovernance: “A registered manager was not in post at the time of the inspection. The service had not had a registered manager in post since August 2017.”
minorMissed or late visits: “People said that staff generally arrived on time but there had been occasions when staff had arrived late but this was not a frequent occurrence.”
Strengths
· People felt safe and expressed high satisfaction with care staff, describing them as kind, respectful and cheerful.
· Robust safeguarding policies and staff awareness of reporting procedures were in place.
· Medicines administration supported by staff training and competency checks.
· Sufficient staffing levels monitored on an ongoing basis with active recruitment in progress.
· Comprehensive staff training programme including Care Certificate, MCA, safeguarding and moving and handling.