What is a spot check? This is an unannounced visit made by a supervisor or manager to you the live-in carer, and your client in their home to ensure that you are delivering the service agreed to in your contract or care plan.

Spot checks are used to monitor and improve the safety and quality of the service you provide to your client.  

It is, however, recognised that spot checks are only one area of live-in care where the quality and safety are checked. 

Spot checks are designed to communicate to staff that those practices may not be carried out as agreed. They are also used to arouse staff to any issues, particularly safety, which can be dealt with as soon as possible.

The purpose of spot checks is to provide feedback based on observations and to correct any mistakes which are/have been made at your client’s residence. They are also used to address any unsafe practices which may have arisen over time.

What are the key issues looked for in a spot check?

Some key issues that your agency will look for in their spot check are:

• Safe practices in all aspects of care and support
• Carrying out tasks specified in the care plan correctly
• Keeping up-to-date records
• Keeping accurate records
• Maintaining client’s dignity and privacy
• Respect and sensitivity when treating clients

While all these situations are normally in place and not an issue, there is one thing (not on this list) that is very often a cause of contention or aggravation, and stress, during a spot check.

Food handling and food safety

Possibly, in live-in care, a spot check on food – how it is stored, prepared, disposed of – and in fact, everything to do with food, may be one of the most important reasons (if not the most important reason) for a spot check.

Live-in care deals with all aspects of food handling and it is easy for things to be considered unacceptable to a spot check standard.

You may expect to be asked about:

• How/where you buy the groceries
• How you handle them when they are delivered
• How the foods are stored in the fridge/freezer
• How you prepare foods for each meal
• What you do with leftovers

You will definitely be asked about labelling open jars and packages. No doubt about this, most agencies will check that any open jar such as mayonnaise, is labelled with a date that it was opened on.

Fresh veggies and fruit which are still in original packing will be checked for the dates, and expiry dates on items such as cream or custard will be scrutinised.

How to handle those (technically) out-of-date foods

As a new incoming carer, your client is not going to look favourably on you when you start to unload the fridge of any out-of-date foods, and this is understandable, don’t you think? A well-known carer has just left, and you, who are new, have just arrived and head to the fridge to clean it out – not a good thing.

A better solution is to simply make a mental note of the foods that you really need to dispose of, and then wait until your client has gone to lie down/been taken out by a friend/ is safely in bed at night. Once you are completely on your own you will be better able to remove any items which may not pass a spot check.

Should you be asked about them in the morning, you are within your rights to say that they have been disposed of because they were mouldy or out-of-date. While your client may be upset at first, this will often simply fade away as the day goes on.

Final thoughts

If you find yourself the unfortunate victim of a spot check as soon as you arrive, you should explain to your supervisor that you simply have not had time to bring things up to date. 

You may even be able to point out what you will throw out and what you will freeze or use right away. This explanation should suit even the pickiest of supervisors and the spot check should be over with no other issues.

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