Background to this inspection
Updated
14 March 2020
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 carried out by one inspector, one assistant 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.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because 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 used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with two people who used the service and eight relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the registered manager, the general manager, the training manager, the care supervisor and five members of care staff.
We reviewed a range of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures, audits and governance records. We looked at six people’s care records and medication records. We looked at five staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision.
Updated
14 March 2020
About the service
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. At the time of the inspection 70 people were receiving the regulated activity of personal care.
People’s experience of using this service
People were protected from abuse. Staff understood how to recognise and report any concerns they had about people's safety and well-being. People’s needs were assessed before starting with the service. People and their relatives, where appropriate, had been involved in the care planning process.
Staff were recruited safely, and the provider followed safe recruitment processes to ensure the right people were employed. Staff training included an induction and ongoing training to ensure staff had the knowledge and skills they required to meet people's needs. There were enough staff to keep people safe.
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's medicines were managed safely, and staff followed procedures to prevent the spread of infections. Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were assessed and mitigated. Staff had formed genuine relationships with people and knew them well and were caring and respectful towards people and their wishes. People received food and drink of their choice. People were supported to access healthcare professionals and receive ongoing healthcare support. People were supported to share their views and shape the future of the care they received.
Care plans provided staff with the information they needed to meet people's needs. Staff worked with other agencies to provide consistent, effective and timely care. We saw evidence the staff and management worked with other organisations to meet people’s assessed needs. The provider and manager followed governance systems which provided effective oversight and monitoring of the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection:
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 04 March 2019.)
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.