Simplex Healthcare Limited

Updated 27 October 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 two inspectors 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

Simplex Healthcare Limited 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 there was a registered manager in post.

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 20 September 2022 and ended on 30 September 2022. We visited the location’s office on 20 September 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. This included details about incidents the provider must notify us about, such as abuse or when a person dies. 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 with three relatives, two care workers and the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people's care records, risk assessments, daily records and health records. We also looked at four staff files including their recruitment, supervision and training records. We reviewed records relating to the management of the service, quality assurance records and a variety of policies and procedures implemented by the provider. We also looked at other records the provider kept, such as staff meetings minutes and surveys people completed to share their views.

Updated 27 October 2022

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

At the time of the inspection, the location did not care or support anyone with a learning disability or an autistic person. However, we assessed the care provision under Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture, as it is registered as a specialist service for this population group.

About the service

Simplex Healthcare Limited is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support for people in their own homes. The agency provides care and support for people in Sittingbourne area of Kent. People receiving care and support were adults and elderly. At the time of our inspection, three people were receiving regulated activity of 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

Relatives told us they were happy with the service provided by the agency care staff. A relative said “Yes, definitely, it’s a really safe agency. They are happy and chatty carers.”

Right Support:

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 by regular reliable staff who knew them and their needs well, which promoted continuity of care. A relative said, “Yes, and the new ones always shadow the regular ones.” People made decisions about their care and these were documented in their care plan.

Staff supported people with their medicines in a way that promoted their independence and achieved the best possible health outcome. Staff supported people to play an active role in maintaining their own health and wellbeing.

Right Care:

People's equality and diverse needs were consistently promoted. Staff understood people's individual needs and a multi-cultural workforce provided culturally appropriate care.

People’s care, treatment and support plans reflected their range of needs and this promoted their wellbeing and enjoyment of life. People received care that supported their needs and aspirations, was focused on their quality of life, and followed best practice.

People received safe care and support from Simplex Healthcare Limited. The registered manager and staff knew what their responsibilities were in relation to keeping people safe from the risk of abuse. Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. The service worked well with other agencies to do so. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it.

Right Culture:

People were supported to maintain good health, were supported with their medicines and had accessed healthcare services when needed. Where assessed, staff prepared food and drink to meet people’s dietary needs and requirements.

Staff were skilled in carrying out their role. The registered manager ensured staff were appropriately trained. A care staff said, “I have been in Health and Social Care work for about six years now. When I joined the agency, the registered manager sent me on mandatory courses to complete as a refresher.”

Staff knew and understood people well and were responsive, supporting their aspirations to live a quality life of their choosing. The service enabled people and those important to them to worked with staff to develop the service. Staff valued and acted upon people’s views. Staff told us there was an open culture where they were kept informed about any changes to their role. Staff told us the registered manager was approachable and listened to their ideas and suggestions.

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 21 April 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Follow up

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