In Safe Hands Care and Support Ltd

Updated 28 April 2022

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

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 CQC 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 there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced.

We gave the service 24 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.

We visited the location’s office on 29 March 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since they registered with CQC. 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

We spoke over the telephone with two people who used the service and 10 relatives. We emailed six staff to ask a range of questions. We spoke with five staff in person, a care coordinator and the registered manager who is also the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We visited the office location to review written records. We looked at three people's care records. We checked records relating to the management of the service including policies and procedures and quality assurance records.

Updated 28 April 2022

About the service

In Safe Hands Care and Support Ltd is a domiciliary care service providing care and support to people living in their own homes in the Sheffield area. At the time of our inspection there were 20 people using the service. 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

People felt safe in the company of staff. Relatives agreed their family members were safe. People consistently told us staff arrived on time and they received support from the same core group of staff, which promoted good continuity of care. The service had recruitment processes in place to ensure suitable staff were employed. General and individual risks were assessed and managed well. Medicines were managed effectively, and the provider ensured all infection control measures were followed by staff.

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.

People were supported to receive adequate food and drink to remain healthy. People chose what they wanted to eat and drink. Staff knew the people they were supporting and provided a personalised service. Support plans showed how people wished to be supported and people were involved in making decisions about their care. Staff treated people with respect and people's dignity and privacy was actively promoted.

People told us any concerns were addressed immediately with appropriate actions and the provider had received a number of compliments and thank you cards and emails. The service was well run, and people who used the service were very happy with the care and support they received. Audits and checks of documents and systems helped ensure continuous learning and improvement.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

This service was registered with us on 20 February 2020. This was the service’s first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the date of registration.

Follow up

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