About the service:

•Allied Health-Services London Central is a domiciliary care agency.

•It provides a personal care support service to children aged 0-18 years, people with an eating disorder, a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder, a mental health condition, a physical disability, sensory impairment, dementia, older people and younger adults in their own homes.

•Not everyone using Allied Health-Services London Central receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

•At the time of the inspection, it was providing personal care support to 214 people.

•For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.

People’s experience of using this service:

•The provider lacked systems to ensure the safe management of medicines. This put people at risk of harm.

•Suitable and sufficient staffing was in place to meet people’s needs safely. However, staff recruitment records were not always accessible and appropriately maintained.

•The provider lacked robust and effective systems and processes to ensure the quality and safety of service.

•People and relatives told us they felt safe with staff and found them reliable. Staff knew how to safeguard people against harm and abuse. They followed safe infection control procedures.

•Risks to people’s healthcare needs were assessed and mitigated. People told us they were satisfied with the medicines support.

•People’s needs were assessed appropriately and they told us they were supported by staff who were skilled and trained. Staff receive regular training and supervision to do their job effectively.

•People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

•People's care plans were comprehensive and personalised.

•People and relatives told us staff were caring and treated them with dignity and respect. They were involved in the care planning process and reviews. People's independence was encouraged and maintained.

•People and relatives knew how to raise concerns and they told us the service was responsive.

•People and relatives told us they were happy with the service.

•Staff told us they felt supported and were involved in continuously learning and improving care.

Rating at last inspection:

•The service was registered by CQC on 21 January 2019. This is the service’s first inspection since its registration. This is the first time this service has been rated Requires Improvement.

Why we inspected:

•This inspection was part of our scheduled plan of visiting services to check the safety and quality of care people received.

Enforcement:

•We identified two breaches of the Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 around safe care and treatment, and good governance. Details of action we have asked the provider to take can be found at the end of this report.

•We made a recommendation in our inspection report, which we will follow up at our next inspection.

Follow up:

•We will work with the provider following this report being published to understand and monitor how they will make changes to ensure the service improves its rating to at least Good.