AO Healthcare

Updated 28 June 2023

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

This inspection was carried out by 1 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 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 the management team are often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that the provider or manager would be available to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 20 June 2023 and ended on 23 June 2023.

What we did before the inspection

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 reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority. We used 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 telephone and video calls to enable us to engage with people using the service and staff, and electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation.

We spoke with the person using the service and their relative. We had discussions with a staff member via the telephone and the registered manager, who was also the nominated individual, via a video call on the 23 June 2023. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We reviewed a range of records. This included the persons care records, risk assessments and medication charts. We looked at 1 staff file in relation to recruitment, training, and supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service including audits, policies and procedures were also reviewed.

Updated 28 June 2023

About the service

AO Healthcare is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people living in their own homes.

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 was 1 person being supported with the regulated activity of personal care.

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

There were systems and processes in place to safeguard people from potential harm. Staff completed training about safeguarding and knew how to report abuse. Risks to people’s safety were assessed and strategies were put in place to reduce the risks.

There were safe infection control procedures in place including enough supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff. People received their medicines safely and as prescribed. People were supported by regular, consistent staff who knew them and their needs well.

The provider ensured that lessons were learned when things went wrong, so that improvements could be made to the service and the care people received.

Staff received an induction and ongoing training that enabled them to have the skills and knowledge to provide effective care.

People’s needs, and choices were fully assessed before they received a care package. Care plans included information needed to support people safely and in accordance with their wishes and preferences. Where the provider took on the responsibility, people were supported to eat and drink enough to meet their dietary needs.

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 families were involved in the care planning and reviews of their care where possible. The provider had a complaints procedure which was accessible to people and relatives, so they knew how to make a complaint. There had not been any complaints received at the time of our inspection, but systems were in place to address and investigate complaints.

The service had good governance systems in place to ensure all aspects of the service and people’s care were continuously assessed and monitored. A range of audits were in place to monitor the quality and safety of service provision.

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 31 August 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection following 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.