Theresa Care Limited

Updated 28 September 2022

The inspection

We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act). We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements of the regulations associated with the Act and looked at the quality of the service to provide a rating.

Unlike our standard approach to assessing performance, we did not physically visit the office of the location. This is a new approach we have introduced to reviewing and assessing performance of some care at home providers. Instead of visiting the office location we use technology such as electronic file sharing and video or phone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

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 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 available to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since its registration. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider was not asked to provide a 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

This performance review and assessment was carried out without a visit to the location’s office. We used technology such as video calls to enable us to engage with people using the service and staff, and electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation. Information was viewed electronically on the 9 September 2022 and we carried out an interview with the registered manager on the 13 September 2022 and contacted two people and three relatives.

Updated 28 September 2022

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and 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.

About the service

Theresa Care Limited is a domiciliary care agency and provides personal care and support to people who require assistance in their own home. At the time of our inspection 10 people were being supported by the service. 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

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.

Right Care:

Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. People were supported by staff to access activities of their choice and this supported independence.

Right Culture:

The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives.

People's care plans and risk assessments were person centred and had been developed with the person and their representative, where appropriate. Risk assessments included guidance for staff on managing and reducing identified risks to people.

Staff had received up-to-date training and information about reducing the risk of infection to people. People told us staff used appropriate PPE when visiting their homes to provide care.

Some people received support with taking their prescribed medicines. We found that this was managed safely. Staff were recruited safely, and the provider had carried out satisfactory checks of their suitability before they commenced work at the service. Induction training was provided to new staff.

People and relatives told us staff were usually on time and they were informed if they were going to be late for a care visit. 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. We recommended the provider follow the MCA and ensure consent to treatment was formally recorded.

The provider had systems in place to ensure the quality of support to people was maintained and improved. Regular spot checks of care in people's homes were carried out, and people's views of the care they received were sought.

We found evidence the provider proactively worked with other professionals to ensure people received the care and support they required.

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 06 May 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection of a newly registered service. We inspected to give the provider a rating.

Follow up

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