Apex Prime Care is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection they were supporting 54 people.

The inspection was announced and was carried on 26 January 2017 by one inspector. The provider was given two days’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service; we needed to be sure that someone would be in.

There was a registered manager in place at the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People and their families told us they felt the care staff were caring and responsive to their needs. However, not everyone experienced a consistent level of support when they contacted the office. People and their relatives also expressed mixed views about the leadership of the service. They raised concerns over the response to concerns about the service; and the lack of consistency regarding information in respect of the staff who would be supporting them.

There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and to enable them to engage with people in a relaxed and unhurried manner.

People and their relatives told us they felt safe with staff and the service provided. Staff and the registered manager had received safeguarding training and were able to explain the action they would take if they identified any concerns.

The risks relating to people’s health, welfare and the environment were assessed and these were recorded along with actions identified to reduce those risks. They were personalised and provided sufficient information to allow staff to protect people whilst promoting their independence.

People were supported by staff who had received an induction into the service and appropriate training, professional development and supervision to enable them to meet people’s individual needs. People who relied on care staff to assist them with their medicines received them safely.

Staff sought people’s consent before providing care and were knowledgeable about legislation designed to protect people’s rights. Healthcare professionals, such as, GPs and district nurses were involved in people’s care when necessary.

Staff developed caring and positive relationships with people and were sensitive to their individual choices and treated them with dignity and respect.

Where people required support with their food and drinks, they were encouraged to maintain a healthy, balanced diet based on their individual needs.

People and when appropriate their families were involved in discussions about their care planning, which reflected their assessed needs.

There were systems in place to monitor quality and safety of the home provided.

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and to pilot a new inspection process being introduced by CQC which looks at the overall quality of the service.

There was a registered manager in post at the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider

Apex Care Andover is a homecare agency which provides care to a variety of people including the frail  older people, people with learning disabilities and younger physically disabled people, who have chosen to live in their own homes. People may need care for a period of time to recover from illness or as a longer term arrangement.                                                              

At the time of our inspection 79 people were using the service. This was an announced inspection.   This was our first inspection of this service.

People and their relatives told us although they were happy with their care, their care visits were sometimes late. The registered manager was aware of this concern and we saw that action was being taken to address this.

People who used the service and their relatives were positive about the care they received and praised the quality of the staff and management. One relative told us ‘‘I really like the carers. They are never rude and very respectful. They follow my loved one’s routine and do things the way they like it.’’

People told us they felt safe when receiving care and were involved in developing their safety plans. Systems were in place to protect people from abuse and harm.  Care staff told managers and relatives in a timely manner when they encountered safety risks which would affect people’s care, so that action could be taken to prevent this happening again. 

Staff understood the needs of the people they were supporting. People told us that care was provided with kindness and compassion.

Staff were appropriately trained and skilled. They received a thorough induction when they started work at the service. They demonstrated a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities, as well as the values and philosophy of the service. The staff had completed extensive training to ensure the care and support provided to people was safe and effective to meet their needs.

We found that people and their relatives were encouraged to plan their own care. Where people did not have the capacity to consent to their care, arrangements were in place to ensure consent was sought lawfully and protected people’s rights. People using this service, their relatives and each person’s home were treated with respect.

The registered manager assessed and monitored the quality of care. The service encouraged feedback from people and their relatives, which they used to make improvements to the service.