Archived: Homecare Unique Limited

Updated 23 November 2016

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 7 October 2016 and was announced. The inspection team consisted of two inspectors. One inspector interviewed members of the care staff over the telephone. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the service provides a domiciliary care service; we needed to be sure that the registered manager was available and someone would be in.

Before the inspection, we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the agency, what the agency does well and improvements they plan to make. We also looked at previous inspection reports and notifications about important events that had taken place at the agency, which the provider is required to tell us by law.

We spoke with three people or their relatives about their experience of the service. We spoke with two care staff and the registered manager who was also the provider to gain their views.

We spent time looking at records, policies and procedures, complaint and incident and accident monitoring systems, internal audits and the quality assurance system. We looked at three people’s care files, two staff record files, the staff training programme, the staff rota and the communication systems.

Updated 23 November 2016

We previously carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of this agency on 7 July 2015. Breaches of legal requirements were found. We took enforcement action and required the provider to make improvements to become compliant with Regulation 12 and 19. This was a comprehensive inspection and included an inspection of the previous breaches of legal requirements. We found that improvements had been made.

We inspected this service on 07 October 2016. The inspection was announced. The provider was given two working days’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be available at the locations office to see us. Homecare Unique Limited is a small domiciliary care agency which provides personal care and support for adults in their own homes, some of whom were receiving care and support at the end of their life. At the time of our inspection they were supporting eight people.

The provider was also the registered manager of 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 received a service that was safe. Staff and the registered manager had received training about protecting people from abuse, and they knew what action to take if they suspected abuse. The safety of staff who were working out in the community had been assessed with systems put into place to reduce the risk to staff. Risks to people’s safety had been assessed and recorded with measures put into place to manage any hazards identified.

People received support and assistance from enough staff to fulfil their expected care packages and meet their assessed needs. Staff had received the training they required to meet people’s needs including any specialist needs. Staff had a clear understanding of their roles and people’s needs. Staff were supported in their role from the registered manager. Recruitment practices were safe and checks were carried out to make sure staff were suitable to work with people who needed care and support.

People using the service were treated with kindness and compassion by staff who understood the importance of protecting people’s privacy. People were treated with dignity and respect. Staff and the registered manager understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and people said they were always asked their consent before any care or support tasks were carried out.

People’s needs had been assessed to identify the care and support they required. Care and support was planned with people and reviewed to make sure people continued to have the support they needed. Detailed guidance was provided to staff within people’s homes about how to provide all areas of the care and support people needed. These were reviewed as and when needed.

People were supported to remain as healthy as possible with the support from staff and the relevant health care professionals. Staff supported people to communicate with the relevant health care professionals.

Systems were in place for monitoring the quality and safety of the service and assessing people’s experiences. These included spot checks, annual questionnaires and observation visits from the registered manager.