Medistaff24

Updated 22 December 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 completed by 2 inspectors. One inspector visited the provider’s office. The second inspector gained feedback through telephone conversations with people and their relatives about their experiences of the service. Email feedback and phone conversations took place to gain feedback from staff members.

Service and service type

This is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.

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

This inspection was announced.

We gave short notice of our inspection on 26 October 2022 to the registered manager. This was to ensure they would be available to support the inspection. A video meeting took place with them on 28 October 2022. A visit was made to the provider’s office on 1 November 2022. A further feedback video meeting took place with the registered manager 2 November 2022.

Inspection activity started on 16 October 2022 and ended on 2 November 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 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

We used technology such as video calls and telephone calls to enable us to engage with people using the service, their relatives and staff. We used electronic file sharing to enable us to review some documentation.

During this time, we spoke with registered manager and gained feedback 5 care staff. We also spoke with 4 people and their relatives to gain their feedback on the service provided.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 4 care plans and 1 medication administering records, risk and health management records and daily notes. We reviewed 6 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 22 December 2022

About the service

Medistaff24 Limited (also known as Medistaff24 Community Care Services) is a domiciliary care agency which is registered to provide personal care and support to younger adults, older adults, people living with dementia, a learning disability and autistic people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection the service was supporting six older 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

Improvement was needed in staff recruitment to ensure staff were always recruited in a safe way.

The provider’s quality checks had not always identified where improvements were needed in staff recruitment and employment records.

One person had experienced a missed care call and the provider was in the process of implementing a care call monitoring system at the time of this inspection.

People felt safely supported by the staff in their homes. Staff had been trained in protecting people from the risks of abuse and had risk management information to refer to. People were satisfied with the care and support they received. People felt well cared for and their preferences were respected.

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.

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.

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 16 May 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection of this newly registered service.

Enforcement

We identified a breach in relation to Fit and proper person's employed.

We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to monitor the service and will take further action if needed.

Follow up

We will request a further action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.