Vision Care Wakefield

Updated 29 September 2022

The inspection

We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act). We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements of the regulations associated with the Act and looked at the quality of the service to provide a rating.

Unlike our standard approach to assessing performance, we did not physically visit the office of the location. This is a new approach we have introduced to reviewing and assessing performance of some care at home providers. Instead of visiting the office location we use technology such as electronic file sharing and video or phone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of our inspection the registered manager post was being covered by the service director.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 23 August 2022 and ended on 31 August 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

This performance review and assessment was carried out without a visit to the location’s office. We used technology such as video calls to enable us to engage with people using the service and staff, and electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation.

We spoke with four relatives, nine staff including the service director, and care workers. We reviewed two people’s care plans and documents relating to the management of the service.

Updated 29 September 2022

About the service

Vision Care Wakefield is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were seven people receiving personal care.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The provider had a system in place to monitor the quality of the service. However, this had not always been effective and needed reviewing to ensure it was an effective process.

Risks associated with people’s care and support had not always been identified. However, staff we spoke with knew people well and knew how to support people in line with their needs and preferences.

Staff confirmed they had received training to carry out their role. However, this was not always effective. For example, we were aware of a complaint regarding moving and handling and we noted gaps in the completion of medication records. We have made a recommendation that the provider ensures training is kept up to date.

People were protected from the risk of abuse. Staff were knowledgeable about how to recognise and report concerns. Relatives told us their family members received their medicines as prescribed. However, we saw medication administration records which had several gaps in recording. The management team had identified this prior to our inspection and were addressing this concern.

The provider ensured staff had access to personal protective equipment and could evidence they were working within the government guidelines for COVID-19.

The management team had a system in place to ensure accidents and incidents were recorded and reported. However, there had been no incidents since the service commenced and therefore no analysis could be reviewed at this inspection.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Relatives were complimentary about the service their family member received, commenting that the management team were approachable, and the carers were kind and friendly.

Care plans were person centred and included people's preferences and choices. Staff knew how staff communicate effectively with people, such as speaking slowly and clearly and using short sentences.

The provider had a complains procedure and relatives felt able to raise concerns and felt listened to

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 17 June 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was the first inspection of a newly registered service.

Enforcement

We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection.

We have identified breaches in relation to good governance.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.