Annual Report for the Domiciliary Care Agency Platinum Support and Care Services Ltd. for the year ending December 2016.

1.0 Introduction
This is the annual report for the Domiciliary Care Agency Platinum Support and Care Services Limited for the year ending December 2016. 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 changes throughout the period:

Mary Gillan is now Platinum Support and Care Services Limited registered manager. Mary has fitted well in her role and has become an asset to the company. Mary has exceeded the expectations as a manger; she is friendly forward and approachable. All staff praise Mary for her dedication and work ethic.

This is the third year that Platinum Support and Care Services Limited have been in business. The company has two Directors, Geraldine O Cleary and Shaun Mc Cook. 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. The company has increased exponentially from our previous report.
Our website has proven a success in both recruitment and an interest in our services. In May 2016, we recruited an administration assistant on full time. This gave Geraldine and Mary a freedom 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 August 2016. The inspector’s 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. Our policies where updated which included – Updating the Ombudsman and updating our Vulnerable children policies.
3.0 Annual service user’s satisfaction questionnaire and feedback obtained from service users and the Commissioners of our service.

There were 28 service user’s satisfaction questionnaires sent out over the course of 2016 and all were returned. The questionnaires comprised of 9 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 more time. The client was advised that she would need to refer to her Social Worker to discuss her time slot.
The company received 6 letters throughout the course of 2016. One of the correspondences received was from the Northern Ireland Social Care Council in January 2016 this includes printed copies of the new Standards of Conduct and Practice for Social Care Workers, and Standards of Conduct and Practise for Social Workers in November 2015 which have been distributed to all our Care Workers.

Quotes from the service users included the following:
“Excellent; Very attentive staff. Always clean, tidy and willing to do above the call of their duties”
“Platinum Support & Care Services entire staff go above and beyond the call of duty. They are available 24/7. My father and family can’t thank them enough for the positive difference it has made to our lives. My father loves to see the carers coming in the morning and evening. The excellent care he receives has enhanced all our lives. Many thanks from the entire family.”
On 8th September 2016 at the annual contract review meeting by conference call the Northern Trust discussed the NISCC and the importance of all Care Workers to be registered by the given deadline. Also discussed was dealing with medication and about expanding into different areas to free beds. The next meeting is to be arranged by the contracts department.

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
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 August 2016 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.

Our on call continues to be a success and is effective especially over the winter period. We also have an addition On Call/ Coordinator which comes into effect at weekends.
Staff were advised over the period of November and December to receive the flu vaccine and where given all information about the vaccine and where they could receive it
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

We continue to engaged with peninsula Business services which provide human resources and health and safety support and guidance. We now have a staff handbook which every member of staff receives on induction. A signed copy is kept in our records also.
The contract review meeting for Platinum Support and Care Services Limited was held with the Northern Trust by conference call on the 8th September 2016. Shaun Mc cook had raised again 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.
The company continues in our acquired business premises. The new building had satisfied our business needs and is now equipped with all the infrastructure we need to continue our business efferently and effectively as we continue to expand.


10.0 The Business plan for 2016
Moving into 2017 the company will initially focus on recruitment and training of staff this will include additional recruitment via radio and job fairs. 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 2016. 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 8 January 2017