Kcare

Updated 21 February 2019

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection activity started on 11 and ended on 13 January 2019. It included visiting the office location on 11 January to see the registered manager; and to review care records, policies, and systems related to the running of the service. On 13 January 2019, we spoke to seven people or relatives who used the service via telephone. One inspector carried out this inspection.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. Before the inspection, we received feedback from one social worker and one healthcare professional, who had recent experience working with the provider.

During the inspection, we also spoke with the registered manager, three office staff, three care staff and one external care consultant.

We looked at care plans and associated records for four people and records relating to the management of the service. These included four staff recruitment files, accidents and incidents, quality assurance records and records of complaints. We looked at key policies developed by the provider. We reviewed quality monitoring visits by an external care consultant and action plans developed by the provider in response to their feedback.

The service was last inspected in February 2016 where the service was rated good.

Updated 21 February 2019

This inspection took place on 11 and 13 January 2019.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. It provides a service to older adults.

At the time of inspection, there were 20 people receiving personal care services from the provider.

The service had a registered manager in place at the time of our inspection. 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 told us they were happy with the care they received from the provider and that staff were friendly and caring. They said the service was reliable and they received their care calls as planned.

There were enough suitable staff in place to meet people’s needs. The provider had systems in place when recruiting new staff to assesses that their experience and character was appropriate to the role. Senior staff were available to cover care calls when required and the provider had systems in place to minimise disruption to the service during emergency situations such as severe weather.

Staff had access to training which was appropriate to their role. The registered manager monitored staff’s ongoing working practice and training needs to help ensure staff were competent and confident in their role.

The registered manager had a good insight into the day to day running of the service. There was an organised structure within the provider’s senior team, where senior staff were confident and focussed in their role.

The registered manager had implemented a series of audits and checks of the quality and safety of the service. They had also commissioned an external care consultant to assist them with audits and action plans which encouraged improvements.

The service had implemented an electronic care planning and monitoring system which enabled senior staff to monitor the care being deliver in real time. People’s care plans and staff rotas were updated through this system, which meant that staff had access to the most up to date information.

The provider assessed people’s needs to help ensure they received appropriate care. Care plans were developed and reviewed in partnership with people. They were based on delivering positive outcomes for people and incorporated information about people’s needs and preferences. Care plans covered a range of areas including the support people needed with their medicines, nutrition and healthcare.

When people’s needs changed, their care plans were reviewed and the provider sought appropriate input from external health and social care professionals to help ensure people’s needs were met.

Risks to people were assessed and mitigated. When incidents took place, the provider reflected on events to help reduce the risk of reoccurrence. There were systems in place to help prevent the risk of infections spreading.

People were safeguarded against the risks of abuse and harm. The provider had worked with the local safeguarding teams to investigate individual concerns when they arose and put plans in plan collaboratively to keep people safe.

People received personalised care which reflected their equality, diversity and human rights. Staff understood the need to gain appropriate consent to care. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People’s communication needs were considered in the planning and delivery of care.

The registered manager sought feedback about the service from people to help make improvements to the service.

There were appropriate systems in place to handle complaints and concerns.