Background to this inspection
Updated
13 August 2019
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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience. The Expert by Experience made telephone calls to people using the service to find out about their experiences.
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 and flats.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to make sure someone would be present at the office.
Inspection activity started on 20 June 2019 and ended on 25 June 2019. We visited the office location on 20 June 2019.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. 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. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with 12 people who used the service and 4 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the registered manager, training manager, quality manager and care workers.
We reviewed a range of records. This included seven people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were reviewed.
Updated
13 August 2019
About the service
One to One Homecare (Head Office) is a domiciliary care agency providing care to people 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 the inspection there were 123 people receiving personal care and support from the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
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 told us they felt safe and that they were supported by reliable, regular staff who arrived to support them at the agreed time. Staff had an understanding of safeguarding and identified potential abuse, so this could be investigated and acted on by the management of the service. People were supported appropriately with their medicines.
Staff received appropriate support and training for the role. There were opportunities for staff to further develop their skills, knowledge and progress into roles with more responsibility. Plans were in place to introduce an appraisal system.
People told us staff were kind and caring towards them. They told us staff treated them with respect and cared for them in line with their preferences.
Where required, people received appropriate support to maintain good hydration and nutrition.
The service worked well with other agencies such as dieticians, district nurses and doctors to ensure people had joined up care. People were supported to make and attend appointments with healthcare professionals where this was part of their agreed care plan.
People and their representatives were involved in the planning of their care. Their views were reflected in their care records. People’s care records were individualised and contained sufficient information about their past history and preferences for staff to provide them with person centred care.
There was a robust quality assurance system in place capable of identifying area’s for development and improvement. The provider had recently appointed a quality assurance manager to oversee the service provided by each office. People were given an opportunity to feedback their views on the service and their comments were acted on.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection: The last rating for this service was good (published 23 December 2016).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.