Ann Tuplin Care Services Limited

Updated 12 December 2018

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.

This inspection took place on 12 November 2018 and was announced. One adult social care inspector and an expert by experience formed the inspection team. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using, or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Inspection site visit activity took place on 12 November 2018 and included a visit to the provider’s office to speak with the registered manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures. We spoke with four people who used the service and six family members by telephone.

We looked at the care records of three people who used the service and the personnel files for three members of staff.

Before we visited the service we checked the information we held about this location and the service provider, for example, inspection history, statutory notifications and complaints. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send to the Commission by law. We contacted professionals involved in caring for people who used the service, including commissioners and safeguarding staff. We also contacted Healthwatch. Healthwatch is the local consumer champion for health and social care services. They give consumers a voice by collecting their views, concerns and compliments through their engagement work. Information provided by these professionals was used to inform the inspection.

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.

Updated 12 December 2018

This inspection took place on 12 November 2018 and was announced. This was to ensure someone would be available at the office to speak with us and show us records.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to adults with a variety of needs.

Not everyone using Ann Tuplin Care Services Limited receives the regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

On the day of our inspection there were 45 people using the service.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Accidents and incidents were appropriately recorded and risk assessments were in place. The registered manager understood their responsibilities with regard to safeguarding and staff had been trained in safeguarding vulnerable adults.

Appropriate arrangements were in place for the safe administration and storage of medicines.

The home was clean, spacious and suitable for the people who used the service, and appropriate health and safety checks had been carried out.

The service employed sufficient numbers of staff to support people with their individual needs. The provider had an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place and carried out relevant vetting checks when they employed staff. Staff were suitably trained and received regular supervisions and appraisals.

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 were protected from the risk of poor nutrition and staff were aware of people’s nutritional needs. Care records contained evidence of people being supported during visits to and from external health care specialists.

People who used the service and family members were complimentary about the standard of care provided by Ann Tuplin Care Services.

Staff treated people with dignity and respect and helped to maintain people’s independence by encouraging them to care for themselves where possible.

Care records showed that people’s needs were assessed before they started using the service and support plans were written in a person-centred way. Person-centred means ensuring the person is at the centre of any care or support and their individual wishes, needs and choices are taken into account.

People were protected from social isolation.

The provider had a complaints procedure in place, and people who used the service and family members were aware of how to make a complaint.

There was an effective quality assurance process in place. Staff felt supported by the management team. People who used the service, family members and staff were regularly consulted about the quality of the service.