Pennine Homecare improved from Requires Improvement to Good across all five key questions, demonstrating sustained progress following regulatory breaches identified in 2019. Minor recommendations were made regarding timely submission of statutory notifications and ensuring staff recruitment records fully document employment gap risk assessments.
Concerns (3)
moderate
Governance
: “No statutory notifications had been submitted to the Care Quality Commission. We saw evidence of an event which required a notification to be submitted.”
minorRecord keeping: “We identified some gaps in employment history for 2 staff. The registered manager was able to provide assurances that these staff were suitable for their role.”
minorCare planning: “The registered manager immediately reviewed and up dated 1 person's care plan to ensure it reflected their current needs.”
Strengths
· Medicines were managed safely with completed administration records, audits, and staff competency checks.
· Sufficient staffing levels with consistent staff teams completing visits; people confirmed visits were never missed.
· Staff demonstrated relevant training across safeguarding, medication, moving and handling, infection control, and care certificate.
· Strong positive feedback about the registered manager's approachability, responsiveness, and open-door policy.
· Person-centred care delivery with people involved in care planning and supported to maintain independence and community access.
Quality-Statement breakdown (20)
safe: Staffing and recruitmentGood
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuseGood
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and management; Learning lessons when things go wrongGood
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: Staff support: induction, training, skills and experienceGood
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
effective: Supporting people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced dietGood
caring: Supporting people to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their care; Respecting and promoting people's privacy, dignity and independenceGood
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: Supporting people to develop and maintain relationships to avoid social isolationGood
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 staffGood
well-led: Promoting a positive culture that is person-centred, open, inclusive and empoweringGood
well-led: Continuous learning and improving careGood