Background to this inspection
Updated
11 January 2019
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.
Inspection team: This inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
Age UK, Redbridge, Barking and Havering Ltd provides a bathing and reablement service and are registered to provide personal care.
The service had a registered manager in place. 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.
Notice of inspection
The inspection took place on 26 October 2018. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.
What we did:
Before the inspection we reviewed the information we already held about this service, including details of its registration, previous inspection reports and any notifications of significant incidents the provider had sent us. We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We contacted the local authority with responsibility for commissioning care from the service to seek their views.
During inspection:
• we spoke with the registered manager.
• We reviewed four people’s care plans and all documentation relating to their care.
• We checked the providers policies and procedures
• We looked at staff files including supervision notes
• We looked at minutes of meetings the service held
• We looked at quality assurance and monitoring systems in place
After the inspection:
• We spoke with five people who received care from the service.
• We spoke with three staff. All where carers who visited people in their homes.
• The registered manager sent us information we asked them to provide
Updated
11 January 2019
What life is like for people using this service:
Everyone we spoke with told us they thought the service received was good and supported them to maintain their independence. They spoke highly of the staff who cared for them and were proud that in some cases these professional relationships had gone on for many years, pointing out that staff knew them.
People told us they felt safe with the staff using the service. The service had safeguarding policies and procedures in place that staff knew and followed. People had risk assessments that highlighted any risks and how staff should work with them. When there were incidents and accidents these were recorded appropriately and discussed in team meetings. There were sufficient staff to provide care and all staff had been recruited with safety of people in mind. People were supported with prescribed medicines appropriately. Staff understood how to prevent infection and wore protective equipment where necessary.
People’s needs were assessed before they started with the service to assure their needs could be met. People were supported by staff who received an induction into their role and training how to do their jobs. Staff were supported through supervision and appraisal. Staff communicated people’s needs effectively with each other. Where necessary people were referred to healthcare professionals by staff. On occasion the service recommended adaptations to people’s homes to best support their needs. We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act, the law that protects and empowers people who may lack the capacity to make their own decisions, and found that they were.
People were treated kindly and compassionately and staff had appropriate concern for their wellbeing. People were supported to express their views and make decisions about their care. People told us staff respected them and promoted their independence.
People had care plans that enabled staff to provide care that was responsive to people’s needs. Care plans were specific and personalised. Where possible, people were supported to do things they wanted to do. People knew how to make complaints and were comfortable doing so.
People told us the service was well managed.
Staff and people thought highly of the registered manager. Staff knew their roles and could align their values to that of the service. People and staff were engaged and involved in the service. There were adequate quality assurance measures in place. The service was well linked locally.
Rating at last inspection: Good – published on 21 April 2016.
About the service: Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering Ltd is a bathing and reablement service that is registered to provide personal care to people in their own houses. At the time of the inspection there were sixteen people using the service.
Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating of the last inspection.
Follow up: We will continue to monitor the service through the intelligence we receive until we return as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.