Annual Report for the Domiciliary Care Agency Platinum Support and Care Services Ltd. for the year ending December 2015.

1.0 Introduction
This is the annual report for the Domiciliary Care agency Platinum Support and Care Services Limited for the year ending December 2015. The report will cover areas which may be of interest to our clients, their families, the carers and the commissioners of our service.

The company has made many throughout the period.
We looked at many potential properties, for the new location of the business and the move to the premises at 27 Ann Street Ballycastle will bring with it many benefits.

Patricia Mc Kenna retired from her post as registered manager in April 2015 and we would like to offer our sincere thanks to Patricia for her help in taking the agency forward over the past years. We wish Patricia a long and happy retirement. It is nice to note that the family tradition has been continued as Patricia’s Daughter Lucie has taken up a post as care worker in the past year.

We were then faced with finding a new registered manager which was a daunting prospect. Mary Gillan has been appointed to the post; Mary brings with her many years of nursing experience and a caring attitude that is obvious to anyone who meets her. Mary has fitted into the team very well and appears to relish the challenge. By the end of May 2015 Mary Gillan had completed her training and was visiting clients and supervising staff.

This is the second year that Platinum Support and Care Services Limited have been in business. The company has two Directors, Geraldine O Cleary and Shaun Mc Cook and Mary Gillan is now in position as the registered nurse manager. Shaun retains the role of responsible person for the business.

Platinum Support and Care Services Limited continue to work with the Northern Trust as a tier two provider. The company continues to grow. In January 2015 there was 6 care staff in post. By the end of December 2015, 18 care staff were in post, with 29 clients from the Northern Trust and 4 private clients within our service.

By March 2015 the Web site was live and potential clients and staff was aware of the site.
In October 2015 a new secretary was appointed for 20 hours per week. This was to support Geraldine and Mary with administration allowing both Mary and Geraldine time to commit to staff and clients.

2.0 Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority RQIA.
Platinum Support and Care Services Limited received an annual inspection in March 2015. The inspectors overall assessment of the agencies compliance level against the standard assessed were judged to be Compliant.

The inspection highlighted areas of modification that needed to be carried out to the community Policy and Procedures manual in line with the Domiciliary Care Agencies minimum care Standards. 13 Policies had to be updated and a further 2 had to be completed by the end of June 2015. This also included an alphabetical index of clients and staff and the policies manual. The statement of purpose, the service users’ guide and the vulnerable adult policy along with flow diagrams were also updated.

3.0 Annual service user’s satisfaction questionnaire and feedback obtained from service users and the Commissioners of our service.

There were 23 service users satisfaction questionnaires sent out over the course of 2015 and all were returned. The questionnaires comprised of 18 questions which focused on the service provided with an opportunity to comment in each case. All forms were completed and all questions were answered in a positive way. The responses indicated clients and their families are satisfied with the service provided. There was no area of concern identified. Each client appeared happy. One client requested a different time slot for her call. The client was advised that her time slot would be changed whenever it was appropriate to do so.
The company received 8 letters throughout the course of 2015. One of the correspondences received was from a Senior Manager in the Northern Trust in January 2106 to thank us for the effort and support on the continued increase in need of domiciliary care services in the area. She stated that the companies’ effort to their requests made a positive difference to their ability to respond to the increasing demand.

Quotes from the service users included the following:
“We really appreciate the time and care that your girls gave to our Mum over the past year. Mum was fond of them all and always looked forward to seeing them, they spent time talking to her and their care was exemplary.”


“Just to advise you that since your workers and Mary started their input she has improved significantly ……..It is great to see such a turnaround in a client which is partly down to the service that has been provided to her.” (Social Worker).


“I am truly thankful, you are a great team of carers, it was a delight to have you come in to help me “.


In September 2015 at the annual contract review meeting by conference call the Northern Trust thanked the company for their ongoing care and support through the recent times when a care provided withdrew support from the local area. Platinum Support and Care Services Limited supported the clients through this difficult time.


4.0 Monthly monitoring reports.
The monthly monitoring reports continue. Clients, their families and staff are given the opportunity to comment on the service and identify areas where we can improve the service.

5.0 Staffing
By the end of April 2015 the Causeway Volunteer centre indicated that the Access NI applications had to be completed on line. This improved the speed of applications within the business.

The company continues to grow. In January 2015 there was 6 care staff in post. By the end of December 2015, 18 care staff were in post, with 29 clients from the northern trust and 4 private clients within our service.
The company continue to advertise in the local press, job markets and employment agencies and continue to recruit new staff. We continue to interview once a month or sometimes every other month depending on demand and need. It is felt that staffing levels are adequate to meet the current requirements however; with new clients being allocated to the company from the Northern Trust it is predicted that further staff will be required.

In July 2015 Mary Gillan and Geraldine O’Cleary reviewed the annual leave and staff rotas /duty requests. They met with staff on an individual basis for ongoing support and to address any current issues.

September 2015 saw a further increase in staff due to a provider within the locality withdrawing their services. A further 10 clients were taken on within this period.

In December 2015 an on call rotas was introduced to cover shifts over the winter period and sick leave.
Staff were advised over the period of November and December to receive the flu vaccine.

6.0 Accidents Incidents or untoward events
The agency can report that there were not any accidents, incidents or untoward events during the past year. It is a requirement of Platinum Support and Care Services Limited to report to the Northern Trust on a monthly basis.

7.0 Customer complaints
There were not any customer complaints raised during the past year. It is a requirement of Platinum Support and Care Services Limited to report to the northern Trust on a monthly basis.

8.0 Referrals
The company continue to accept referrals from private clients and The Health and Social Care Services. Clients are reminded that services provided by this company may be available from their local Health Trust and from other providers.

9.0 Business

In April 2015 we engaged with peninsula Business services to provide human resources and health and safety support and guidance. A staff handbook was an area that needed to be addressed so this was reviewed and comments were sent back to the provider before the handbook was sent to the printers. The health and safety Rep called to visit Platinum in May 2015. By December 2015 the handbook was ready for all staff.

The contract review meeting for Platinum Support and Care Services Limited was held with the Northern Trust by conference call on the 16th September 2015. Shaun Mc cook had raised with the managers the difficulties in obtaining feedback from the social workers. It was agreed that the company can request feedback from the team leaders rather than individual socials workers.

In November 2015 Customer satisfaction survey forms were re drafted. This was to include a percentage score .This is for both clients and professional bodies.

In December 2015 the company received the keys to the new business premises. The new building required updating and the locks had to be updated and the intruder alarm had to be modified to enable the business to set and reset when on site.

10.0 The Business plan for 2016
Moving into 2016 the company will initially focus on recruitment and training of staff. As the client list increases it is expected that the staff levels will increase as required. The company will continue to provide the same level of service to our existing clients and new clients alike. We want the business to grow in a controlled manner.

The business continuity plan was reviewed and updated in December 2015. The function of this plan is to ensure that resources are in place to allow the continuity of services in periods of adverse weather, high levels of sickness and any unplanned leave.


Platinum Support and Care Services.

Published on 4 January 2016