City Carers

Updated 25 May 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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of one inspector.

The service had a manager registered with the CQC. 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.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service two working days' notice of the inspection because the service provides care to people in their own homes and we wanted to make sure that management were available on the day of the inspection site visit.

We visited the office location on 28 April 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since it was registered with the CQC. The provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. The PIR also provides data about the organisation and service. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

During the site visit we spoke with the registered manager and the nominated individual.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were also reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the service to validate evidence found. We looked at training data, quality assurance records, policies and procedures. We also contacted and received feedback from five care workers. We received feedback from one person who received care and two relatives of people receiving care.

Updated 25 May 2022

About the service

City Carers is a domiciliary care agency registered to provide personal care to people in their own homes. The service provides support to people of all ages and different abilities. At the time of inspection, the service provided care to three people whom received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspect the service received by people provided with 'personal care'; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also take into account any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service:

Relationships between people who used the service and care workers had developed. Care workers were kind and respectful towards the people they supported. They showed respect for people’s homes and personal preferences.

People received safe care and support from the service. Care workers knew what their responsibilities were in relation to keeping people safe from the risk of abuse. The service followed safe recruitment practices.

Care plans were person centred and had been developed with the person and their representative. Care plans contained risk assessments. These mitigated any identified risks. Environmental risk assessments were also in place, which identified and reduced any environmental risks to the person and care workers.

People’s needs were assessed prior to receiving support including their protected characteristics under the Equalities Act.

There were enough care workers to effectively meet the current packages of care for people's needs. Recruitment processes were in place. This ensured suitable care workers were working with people. Care workers were appropriately trained.

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.

The service had taken measures to prevent and control the spread of COVID -19 and other infections.

Care workers provided care and support that met people’s diverse and individual preferences. The service had a policy on ensuring equality and valuing diversity.

The service had a system in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the services provided. However, the service had recently started providing services to people and was in the process of implementing checks and audits which had not yet been embedded in practice. We have made a recommendation about the management of governance systems.

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

The service was registered with us on 25 January 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected:

This was a planned comprehensive inspection to review the key questions, Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led and rate this service. The inspection was prompted because the service has not had an inspection and a rating since it was first registered with us.

Follow up

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