Safe Care Services Ltd

Updated 14 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 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

This inspection was announced.

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 28 July 2022 and ended on 2 August 2022. We visited the location’s office on 28 July 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since they registered with us. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. 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

During our inspection we spoke with the registered manager, nominated individual, administrator, an external consultant and three care staff. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We also spoke with three people who used the service and one relative.

We looked at a range of documents and written records including four people's care records, three staff recruitment records and information relating to staff training and the auditing and monitoring of service provision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were also reviewed.

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We continued to look at records the registered manager shared with us, and response from health and social care professionals.

Updated 14 October 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

Safe care services ltd is a domiciliary care service providing personal care and support to people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were six people using the service.

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

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

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 staff to be involved in decisions about their care and support. People and their relatives felt involved. People were happy with the care and support they received. People were supported by staff who knew them well and had developed positive relationships with them. Staff respected people's preferences and treated people with dignity and respect.

People's needs were assessed, and they were supported by trained staff to meet their needs and keep them safe.

Quality assurance systems were in place to promote people's safety. Systems also ensured staff were supported and their knowledge and skills were kept up to date.

Right Care:

Staff were trained for their role and to provide safe care. Staff were trained in how to recognise abuse and protect people from avoidable harm. Staff knew how to use the whistle-blowing procedure.

People told us they received care and support from a regular and reliable staff team.

People received their medicines on time and as prescribed.

Right Culture:

The registered manager understood their responsibilities and worked in an open and transparent way. People and relatives said the registered manager was approachable and were confident to raise concerns or complaints. They said the registered manager always listened to any concerns and acted on them.

People and staff were supported by a management team who worked hard to promote a culture where people were valued and respected as individuals.

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 10 June 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.