Background to this inspection
Updated
17 November 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 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
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
Registered Manager
This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.
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.
What we did before the inspection
We sought feedback from the local authority. 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
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.
Inspection activity started on 25 October 2022 and ended on 9 November 2022.
We spoke with six people and seven relatives of people who used the service. We spoke with three members of staff including the registered manager, nominated individual and care staff. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
Updated
17 November 2022
About the service
Smart Choice Healthcare is a domiciliary care agency providing care to people in their own homes. The service provides support to younger people, older people, people living with dementia, people living with a physical disability and people living with mental health needs.
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. At the time of our inspection there were 18 people using the service, of which eight people were being supported with the regulated activity of personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People and their relatives provided positive comments about the care and support provided. Comments included, “[Family member] has regular [staff] who interact well and definitely try to do their best to keep [family member] safe. Another relative commented, “[Family member] is safe with the [staff]. The knowledge that I know [family member] is in safe hands allows me to go on holiday.”
Care plans and risk assessments provided guidance and information to staff to deliver person centred care. People and their relatives told us they had been involved in the care planning process.
A process was in place which supported the recruitment of suitable staff. Staff were supported to complete an induction process which prepared them for their role. The registered manager completed checks of staff knowledge and skill to ensure they delivered safe care.
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 and their relatives found the staff to be caring and dignified in their role. Comments included, “The staff genuinely care.” And, “[Staff] don’t seem to rush [family member] which is good, and they seem to be patient.”
A quality assurance system was in place which monitored and reviewed the quality and standard of care provided. The findings were used to drive change and improvement.
People, their relatives and staff found the registered manager to be supportive and approachable.
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 08 July 2021 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This inspection was a planned review based in the date of registration.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.
This was an ‘inspection using remote technology’. This means we did not visit the office location and instead used technology such as electronic file sharing to gather information, and video and phone calls to engage with people using the service as part of this performance review and assessment.