Elite Care North West Limited was rated Good overall following a May 2023 inspection, with both Safe and Well-led key questions rated Good. Minor concerns were noted around late visits without notification, the absence of formal mental capacity assessments (being addressed during inspection), and an audit recording process not yet fully embedded.
Concerns (3)
moderateConsent / capacity: “The provider had no specific mental capacity assessments in place. The registered managers started to implement mental capacity assessments during the inspection process.”
minorMissed or late visits: “Some people told us staff sometimes run late for their visit and people are not always informed.”
minor
Governance
: “The auditing process was not always recorded...the provider had recently introduced an auditing tool...however, this system was yet to be embedded.”
Strengths
· Recruitment checks were robust with necessary safety checks and full induction completed before staff started work.
· Staff were trained to administer medicines and received competency checks to ensure safe administration.
· Staff received safeguarding training and were confident to report concerns.
· Person-centred care was promoted with an open, inclusive culture valued by both staff and people using the service.
· Registered managers worked effectively in partnership with other health and social care organisations and commissioners.
Elite Care Wigan achieved an overall Good rating at its first inspection, with an Outstanding rating for Responsive reflecting exceptional personalisation, creative problem-solving, and staff commitment to going above and beyond for people. No failures or regulatory breaches were identified across any key question.
Strengths
· Exceptionally responsive to people's changing needs, creating bespoke solutions such as personalised fiddle boards for people with dementia and custom communication boards for people with speech difficulties.
· Staff consistently went above and beyond, including cancelling annual leave and coming in on days off to ensure continuity of care and prevent emergency admissions.
· Detailed, person-centred care plans capturing individual preferences, communication needs, and what was important to each person.
· Robust electronic monitoring system providing real-time alerts for missed tasks and medicines, accessible to people and their relatives.
· Strong partnership working with local authority, healthcare professionals, hospices, and community organisations including Dementia Action Alliance.
Quality-Statement breakdown (21)
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuse; Learning lessons when things go wrongGood
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and managementGood
safe: Staffing and recruitmentGood
safe: Using medicines safelyGood
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionGood
effective: Assessing people's needs and choices; delivering care in line with standards, guidance and the lawGood
effective: Ensuring consent to care and treatment in line with law and guidanceGood
effective: Staff support: induction, training, skills and experience
Good
effective: Supporting people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced dietGood
effective: Staff working with other agencies to provide consistent, effective, timely care; Supporting people to live healthier livesGood
caring: Ensuring people are well treated and supported; respecting equality and diversityGood
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: Planning personalised care to ensure people have choice and control and to meet their needs and preferencesOutstanding
responsive: Meeting people's communication needsOutstanding
responsive: Supporting people to develop and maintain relationships to avoid social isolation; support to follow interests and activitiesOutstanding
responsive: End of life care and supportOutstanding
responsive: Improving care quality in response to complaints or concernsGood
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 staff, fully considering their equality characteristics; Working in partnership with othersGood
well-led: How the provider understands and acts on the duty of candour; Continuous learning and improving careGood