Avondalecare (Kent) Limited improved from Requires Improvement to Good following a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led, having addressed previous breaches of regulations 17 and 19. The service demonstrated safe recruitment, effective safeguarding, person-centred care, and improved governance and audit processes.
Strengths
· Recruitment processes improved with robust DBS checks, employment gap exploration and people involved in interview panels
· Staff knew people well, understood safeguarding and worked effectively with external agencies including local authority safeguarding team, mental health team and police
· Person-centred risk management with people involved in agreeing how to manage risks and develop independence
· Medicines managed safely with pharmacist assessments, monitored dosage systems and staff monitoring for side effects
· Effective audit systems established covering recruitment, medicines and care records following previous breach of regulation 17
Avondalecare (Kent) Limited was rated Requires Improvement overall due to breaches in safe recruitment (Regulation 19) and good governance (Regulation 17), with the registered manager lacking oversight of recruitment audits. Care delivery was rated Good across effective, caring and responsive domains, with people reporting kind, reliable, person-centred support.
Concerns (4)
criticalStaff competency: “Robust checks had not been completed on staff's conduct in previous care roles to ensure they had the skills and experience to meet people's needs.”
criticalGovernance: “The registered provider had failed to operate effective systems to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service.”
moderateStaff competency: “A full employment history with dates of employment had not been obtained. Any gaps in employment had not been identified and explored”
moderateLeadership: “The registered manager did not have access to recruitment records and had not had the opportunity to check staff had been recruited safely.”
Strengths
· People felt safe and protected from abuse; staff knew how to identify and raise concerns
· Risks were assessed with detailed guidance for staff on safe support and equipment use
· Medicines were managed safely with regular competency assessments and audits
· Effective infection prevention and control practices in place
· Staff were described as kind, caring, reliable and respectful of dignity and independence
Quality-Statement breakdown (10)
safe: Staffing and recruitmentRequires improvement
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuseGood
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and managementGood
safe: Using medicines safelyGood
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionGood
safe: Learning lessons when things go wrongGood
well-led: Continuous learning and improving careRequires improvement
well-led: Promoting a positive person-centred cultureGood
well-led: Engaging and involving people, public and staffGood