1st Grade Care's Care Inspectorate Wales inspection

1st Grade Care Ltd, which has been delivering care services to the elderly in their own homes since 2011, was inspected on August 2.

The report highlighted improvements in communication within the service, with people generally expressing satisfaction with the care and support received.

The report stated: "People told us they feel the communication in the service is improving and are mostly happy with the care and support they, or their loved ones receive."

The report also noted that service users mostly have a consistent group of care workers during weekdays, which helps them become familiar with routines and preferences.

Changes in the management structure since the last inspection were also acknowledged.

The report detailed: "There have been changes to the structure of the management since the last inspection, and the provider has now taken on the role of responsible individual (RI) as well as the manager.

"In addition to this, there is now also a quality assurance manager who is seeking to review, update and improve people’s personal plans and the delivery of their care and support."

While some care staff expressed a desire for improved communication and relationships between care staff and the office team, the report noted that the RI has identified this need and has a plan to address it.

The report praised the service for ensuring people have control over their day-to-day lives and access to the right information when needed.

It stated: "The service has improved provision of personal plans, and the written guide to the service is available in people’s homes.

"People are treated with dignity and respect by mostly familiar and consistent care workers.

"Individual circumstances are considered in the reviewing of their personal plans."

The report also highlighted the service's commitment to working with external professionals to protect the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of service users.

While some instances of unscheduled call times were noted, the report confirmed that improvements have been seen in this area.

People were reported to feel safe and protected from abuse and neglect, with a safeguarding policy in place and information provided on how to raise concerns.

The report stated: "Feedback from people and families about their care and support is mostly positive, they told us about improvements they have seen in the continuity of their staff, as well as call times.

"People told us they have very good relationships with some of the staff, especially their regular workers who know them well."

The report also acknowledged improvements in call times but noted that it can sometimes be difficult to contact the office when calls are late.

The RI has recognised this as an area for improvement and is working with the team to enhance communication.

The report highlighted the service's introduction of new quality assurance processes aimed at improving care delivery and call times.

The management team, including a quality assurance manager and a deputy manager, is focused on enhancing service quality.

Regular meetings are held to review outstanding actions and tasks identified in audits.

One area identified for improvement is increasing training for care staff.

The report concluded that there are sufficient staff on duty to support service users effectively, with structured rotas planned in advance to ensure continuity of care.

Care staff are recruited following safe practices and are supported to register with Social Care Wales, the workforce regulator.

While some care staff suggested improvements in communication from the management team, overall, they found working for the service to be a positive experience.

The report confirmed that care staff receive training to support them in their roles, with the RI working with an external provider to develop an induction programme that aligns with the All Wales Induction Framework to facilitate staff registration with Social Care Wales.