Background to this inspection
Updated
21 June 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 was carried out by two inspectors. One inspector used technology such as electronic file sharing and video or telephone calls to engage with the registered manager, people and their relatives using the service and staff. The other inspector visited the registered provider’s office on 25 May 2022.
Inspection team
The inspection was completed by two inspectors.
Service and service type
This is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was announced.
We gave short notice on 13 May 2022 to the provider and arranged a video meeting with the registered manager for 16 May and 23 May 2022. We made a visit to the provider’s office on 25 May 2022.
Inspection activity started on 13 May 2022 and ended on 25 May 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed the information we had received about the service since registration. We contacted the Local Authority and local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) and asked for feedback from them. The provider was asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
During the inspection
This inspection used technology such as video calls and telephone calls to enable us to engage with people using the service and staff. We used electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation.
During this time, we spoke with the registered manager – who is the director of the business and the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. In this report, we refer to this person as the registered manager.
We attempted to have telephone conversations with staff, however, due to their care call commitments this proved difficult. We therefore offered the opportunity for staff to share written feedback with us and received this from six staff. We spoke with two people and six relatives who gave feedback on the service.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three care plans and medication administering information, risk management records and daily notes. We reviewed two staff’s employment records and staff training and competency assessments. We reviewed policies and procedures and quality monitoring records the registered manager used to assure themselves people received a safe service.
Updated
21 June 2022
About the service
Covenant Healthcare Limited (trading as Heritage Healthcare Coventry) is a domiciliary care agency which is registered to provide personal care and support to people in their own homes. The service is registered to provide support to younger adults, older people, people with dementia, people living with physical disabilities, autistic people and people living with sensory disabilities. At the time of our inspection the service was supporting 11 people who were receiving 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
Some risks were identified and gave staff the information that they needed to keep people safe from risks of harm or injury. Other potential risks were either not assessed or not mitigated.
Information in people’s plans of care was sometimes contradictory and this posed potential risks of harm to people. This included information about medication dosage administration and people’s individual support needs.
Quality checks were undertaken but were not always effective in identifying where improvements were needed.
Important information about specific incidents had not been shared with us by the registered manager as legally required.
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. However, the use of generic templates for mental capacity assessments meant recorded information was not always accurate about the person.
People and their relatives were satisfied with the care and support they received and shared positive feedback about staff.
Staff were recruited in a safe way and received an induction and training to give them the skills they needed to support people.
There had been no missed care calls to people. People and their relatives felt safe with staff in their homes and protected from the risks of abuse.
People and their relatives described staff as kind and caring toward them. Some people had verbal communication difficulties and systems were in place to facilitate effective communication and respond to people’s individual communication needs.
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 19 February 2021 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection of this newly registered service.
Enforcement
We identified breaches in relation to the safe care and treatment of people and governance of the service.
Follow up
We will request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider, Local Authority and local Clinical Commissioning Group to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.