2M Health & Home Care Services Ltd - Birmingham

People’s experience of using this service: People told us they felt safe and were well-supported. One relative commented, “I trust the workers 101%” There were sufficient staff hours available to meet people's needs in a safe and consistent way, and staff roles were flexible to allow this. Staff had received training about safeguarding and knew how to respond to any allegation of abuse.

Staff had a good understanding and knowledge of people’s care and support needs. They received the training they needed and regular supervision and support. The service assisted people, where required, in meeting their health care and nutritional needs. Staff worked together, and with other professionals, in co-ordinating people’s care.

Staff had developed good relationships with people, were caring in their approach and treated people with kindness and respect.

Systems were in place for people to receive their medicines in a safe way. Risk assessments were in place and they accurately identified current risks to the person as well as ways for staff to minimise or appropriately manage those risks.

People were involved in decisions about their care. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Information was accessible to involve people in decision making about their lives.

There were opportunities for people, relatives and staff to give their views about the service. Processes were in place to manage and respond to complaints and concerns. The manager undertook a range of audits to check on the quality of care provided.

Communication was effective and staff and people were listened to. Staff said they felt well-supported and were aware of their responsibility to share any concerns about the care provided.

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

Rating at last inspection: At the last inspection the service was rated good (9 August 2016.)

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection to check that this service remained good.

Follow up: We did not identify any concerns at this inspection. We will therefore re-inspect this service within the published timeframe for services rated good. We will continue to monitor the service through the information we receive.

This was our first inspection of this service since it had been registered with us on 11 November 2013. The provider did not deliver a personal care service until 2016. Therefore an inspection had not been needed earlier.

The provider is registered to provide personal care and support to adults of a variety of ages including older people. People who used the service received their support and care in their own homes within the community. Fifteen people received personal care and support on the day. People had needs that related to old age and/or a physical disability and mild dementia.

The manager was registered with us as is required by law and was present on the day. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.

The provider had not gathered all of the required information to enable them to make a judgement about potential new staff to ensure that they would be suitable to work, and support, the people who used the service. Gaps in some staff employment history and the reasons they had left their previous employment had not always been explored to determine their suitability.

Medicine systems and medicine records needed some improvement so that people would be consistently assured that they would receive their medicine safely and as it had been prescribed by their doctor.

The provider had processes in place for staff to follow to prevent people experiencing any mistreatment or abuse. Staff understood how to recognise and report concerns about abuse.

Risk assessments were undertaken and staff knew of these and what they needed to do to prevent any potential risk of accident and injury and keep people safe.

Staffing ensured that people were supported by staff that they were familiar with and knew their individual needs and wishes.

Staff received induction training and the day to day support they needed that ensured that they did their job safely and provided support in the way that people preferred. Staff had received the training they required to meet people’s needs in the way that they preferred and to keep them safe.

People were enabled to make decisions about their care and support and they and/or their families were involved in how their care was planned and delivered.

Staff understood that people have the right to refuse care and that they should not be unlawfully restricted.

Staff supported people to have drinks and meals that they enjoyed and knew how their meals should be served to prevent the risk of ill health.

People were cared for and supported by staff who were friendly and caring. Staff encouraged and supported people to be as independent as possible.

A complaints procedure was in place for people and their relatives to access if they were unhappy with any aspect of the service provision.

People, relatives and staff confirmed that the registered manager and the service provided was good. We saw that governance processes were used and that audits and spot checks of staff were conducted to ensure that the service ran as it should in the best interests of the people who used it.