This inspection took place on 6, 8, 11 and 12 July 2016. The service was last inspected on 29 January 2014 when all standards inspected were met and no concerns identified. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be in.Millennium Homecare Services Limited is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care for adults living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection, 163 people were using the service. Millennium Homecare Services Limited provides personal care for people with a range of needs, including dementia, learning disabilities and physical disabilities.
The service had a registered manager at the time of our inspection visit. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People were protected from the risk of abuse and avoidable harm. Risks associated with care were identified and assessed. Staff had clear guidance about how to meet people’s individual needs. Care plans were regularly reviewed with people and updated to meet their changing needs and preferences.
People were happy with staff who provided their personal care. They were cared for by sufficient numbers of staff who were suitably skilled, experienced and knowledgeable about people’s needs. People were also supported by staff in a caring way, which ensured they received personal care with dignity and respect.
The provider took action to ensure that potential staff were suitable to work with people needing care. Staff received supervision and had regular checks on their knowledge and skills. They also received regular training in a range of skills the provider felt necessary to meet the needs of people at the service.
The systems for managing medicines were safe, and staff worked in cooperation with health and social care professionals to ensure that people received appropriate healthcare and treatment in a timely manner.
Appropriate arrangements were not consistently in place to assess whether people were able to consent to their care. The provider was not consistently meeting the legal requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS). However they were taking action to address this at the time of our inspection.
People were supported to be involved in their care planning and delivery. The support people received was tailored to meet their individual needs, wishes and aspirations. People, their relatives, and staff felt able to raise concerns or suggestions in relation to the quality of care. The provider had a complaints procedure to ensure that issues with quality of care were addressed.
Systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service provided and ensure people received safe and effective care. These included seeking and responding to feedback from people in relation to the standard of care. Regular checks were undertaken on all aspects of care provision and actions were taken to improve people’s experience of care.