32 Friar Gate

Updated 17 January 2023

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 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, flats and specialist housing.

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 a short period of 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 20 December 2022 and ended on 29 December 2022. We visited the location’s office on 20 December 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. 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

We spoke with 7 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 8 members of staff including the registered manager, care coordinator, senior support workers and support workers. We reviewed a range of records. This included 5 people's care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were also reviewed.

Updated 17 January 2023

About the service

32 Friar Gate is a domiciliary care agency providing the regulated activity of personal care. The service provides support to older people, younger adults, people with a learning disability and people who have mental health needs. At the time of our inspection there were 56 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

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.

Right Support

Staff were recruited safely, there were sufficient numbers of staff with the necessary training to support people safely and meet their needs. People were protected from the risk of abuse and relatives told us they felt the service was safe. Risks to people and staff had been assessed and people’s care plans were regularly reviewed and updated. Staff supported people to maintain their health and wellbeing by accessing healthcare services which positively supported their health.

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.

Right Care

Staff understood how to promote people’s independence and ensured the care they provided treated people with dignity and respect. Staff had received training in equality and diversity and staff supported people to express their views. People’s communication needs were considered and met. The registered manager planned staff allocation in teams to provide people with continuity and allow people the opportunity to build relationships with the staff who were supporting them. Medicines were managed safely, and we were assured that the provider had sufficient infection, prevention and control measures in place

Right Culture

The service promoted a person-centred culture. The registered manager understood their responsibilities and had identified areas to improve the quality of the service through the audit systems in place. People’s needs were assessed prior to them receiving care and support from the service. People’s needs and preferences were highlighted in their care plans for staff to follow.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Why we inspected

This service was registered with us on 25 October 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Follow up

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