Archived: Aspire Home Carers Thanet

Updated 4 November 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 (CQC) 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 unannounced. Inspection activity started on 27 September 2022 and ended on 30 September 2022. We visited the location's office on 27 September 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since it registered with CQC. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. 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

We spoke with two people and two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with four staff, the care co-ordinator, the assistant manager and the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people's care plans and associated risk assessments and multiple medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits, policies and procedures were also reviewed.

Updated 4 November 2022

About the service

Aspire Home Carers Thanet is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people in their own homes.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (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 the inspection 13 people were receiving this support. Most of the people supported were older people or people with a physical disability. Some people received domestic support or companionship. We did not look at the support those people received.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People told us they felt safe when receiving support from Aspire Home Carers Thanet. People and their relatives spoke highly of the care and support they received.

Risks to people’s health, safety and welfare were assessed, monitored and regularly reviewed. There was guidance for staff about how to reduce risks to people. People were protected from the risks of abuse, harm and discrimination by staff who understood how to help people stay safe.

People were supported by regular staff who had been recruited safely. People and their relatives told us staff arrived on time, stayed for the length of time required and completed all the support they needed.

Staff wore face masks, gloves and aprons when supporting people with their personal care to help prevent the spread of infection. Staff had access to personal protective equipment when they needed it.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported 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 told us staff were kind, compassionate and caring. They had forged trusting relationships.

People knew how to complain, however there had not been any complaints in the last 12 months. Compliments were shared with staff to celebrate areas of good practice.

People spoke highly of the assistant manager who led the service on a day to day basis and told us the communication was very good.

Regular checks and audits were completed to monitor the quality and safety of the service people received. People were regularly asked to provide feedback, and this had been positive.

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 12 July 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on our inspection programme.

Follow up

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