Home & Community Services, a domiciliary care agency serving 184 people in Tower Hamlets, received a Good rating across all five key questions at its April 2016 inspection. The service demonstrated particular strength in culturally competent, person-centred care delivery, supported by robust governance, staff training, and quality assurance systems.
Strengths
· Strong cultural and linguistic match between staff and service users, with Bengali-speaking care workers supporting a predominantly Bengali-speaking client population
· Robust staff recruitment procedures including DBS checks, two references, scored interview assessments, and a six-month probation period
· Comprehensive induction programme based on the Care Certificate with seven days of classroom learning and shadowing of experienced staff
· Regular supervision, spot checks, direct observations, annual appraisals, and training needs analysis meetings for all staff
· Consistent care worker allocation to promote continuity of care, with advance notice given if a replacement was needed
Apasen Home & Community Services, a 380-person domiciliary care agency in Tower Hamlets, retained its Good rating across all five key questions at its December 2018 inspection. The service was distinguished by strong cultural and linguistic competency, consistent staffing, and a positive open culture, with only minor record-keeping gaps and a delayed safeguarding notification identified as areas for improvement.
Concerns (4)
moderateGovernance: “two safeguarding incidents had been notified to us after the investigations had been completed. We highlighted it was a regulatory requirement to notify us about these incidents without delay.”
minorMedication management: “two people who were being prompted with their medicines did not have a list of their medicines recorded in their care plan. One person's MARs did not include the timing, frequency and the reason medicines were being taken”
minorRecord keeping: “two people's records had limited information about the moving and handling tasks required”
minorRecord keeping: “there were no guidelines recorded in the care plan for the care workers to follow”
Strengths
· People and relatives consistently praised the kind, caring and dignified nature of staff, with long-term relationships built over many years.
· Cultural and language needs were proactively matched during assessments and staff allocation, including use of a Bengali interpreter and bilingual care workers.
· Electronic Call Monitoring system introduced since last inspection to improve timekeeping oversight and safeguarding.
· Robust safeguarding systems with annual refresher training; staff demonstrated strong awareness of safeguarding responsibilities.
· Comprehensive mandatory training programme based on the Care Certificate, including specialist topics such as autism awareness and behaviours that challenge.
Quality-Statement breakdown (22)
safe: Using medicines safelyGood
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and managementGood
safe: Safeguarding systems and processesGood
safe: Staffing levelsGood
safe: Learning lessons when things go wrongGood
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionGood
effective: Ensuring consent to care and treatment in line with law and guidanceGood
effective: Supporting people to eat and drink enough with choice in a balanced dietGood
effective: Staff providing consistent, effective, timely care and supporting access to healthcareGood
effective: Staff skills, knowledge and experienceGood
effective: Assessing people's needs and choices; delivering care in line with standardsGood
caring: Ensuring people are well treated and supportedGood
caring: Respecting and promoting people's privacy, dignity and independenceGood
caring: Supporting people to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their careGood
responsive: Personalised careGood
responsive: Improving care quality in response to complaints or concernsGood
responsive: End of life care and supportGood
well-led: Leadership and managementGood
well-led: Managers and staff are clear about their roles and understand quality performance, risks and regulatory requirementsGood
well-led: Continuous learning and improving careGood
well-led: Working in partnership with othersGood
well-led: Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staffGood