Generations Care Agency Limited

Generation Care Limited is a domiciliary care provider providing personal care to people living in their own homes, so they can live as independently as possible. 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. There were 67 people receiving regulated personal care activity at the time of the inspection.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People were mostly supported by a regular team of care staff and said they generally received their calls on time. People were confident care staff had received appropriate training to meet their needs; this was in line with best practice and current guidelines. When people required support with their nutritional needs this was recorded and reflective of the individual’s needs.

There were enough staff to effectively meet the current packages of care. People were supported by staff who had the knowledge and skills to ensure they were safe from harm. Risk assessments were in place to help reduce risks to people. Staff were safely recruited. Medicines were managed safely, and staff ensured clear infection control practices.

The care was provided by kind and caring staff and people told us they treated them with respect. Care plans reflected individual needs and any communication requirements were identified and supported along with any cultural, or religious needs. Care staff understood the importance of respecting people’s diverse needs and promoting independence.

The service supported people to receive the right care and support. Health care was promoted, by staff making prompt referrals when required to relevant health care professionals.

People and relatives knew how to make a complaint about the service if they needed to. The registered manager had followed the complaints process when a complaint had been received. The service had reflected on incidents, and lessons had been learned. People and staff were encouraged to give feedback. Auditing and quality assurance processes were completed to support the drive for improvement.

The service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act. 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.

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 August 2017).

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.

There was a registered manager at this service. 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.

At our last inspection in February 2015 we rated the service as ‘Good’ overall. At this inspection we found the service remained ‘Good’ overall.

People felt safe when they received care from staff at the service. Both they and their relatives were confident their homes and personal possessions were safe when staff were present.

People were protected from the risk of harm or abuse. Staff knew how to recognise abuse and they were informed and confident to report any concerns about people’s safety if they needed to. The provider acted to ensure people’s ongoing safety following alleged safeguarding concerns.

Overall people received timely care from staff who were safely recruited and deployed. Related management and emergency planning measures helped to ensure people’s safety.

Risks to people’s safety associated with their health and environment were assessed before they received care and regularly reviewed. People’s medicines were safely managed. Staff supported people in a safe, skilled and timely manner.

People and relatives were happy with the care provided. People were supported to maintain and improve their health and nutrition by staff who were supported, trained and knowledgeable to ensure this. Staff referred to, understood and followed any instructions from external health professionals for people’s care when they needed to.

Staff understood and followed the Mental Capacity Act (2005) to obtain people’s consent for their care when required and to ensure their rights and best interests.

Staff were respectful, kind, caring and promoted people’s dignity, independence and rights in care. Staff knew people well and had good relationships with them and their families. Staff understood people’s care preferences and daily living choices and followed what was important to people for their care.

People and their families were involved and mostly informed to understand and agree the care they could expect to receive and for its ongoing review. Staff understood and knew how to communicate and engage with people. People’s related care plans often helped to ensure this.

Improvements were in progress to provide and communicate key service information for people in a way they understood.

People’s care was personalised and helped to ensure their independence. People mostly received individualised, timely and consistent care. Management actions in progress following related feedback they obtained from people and relatives, helped to further ensure this.

People and relatives knew how to make a complaint about the service if they needed to. The provider regularly sought views from people, relatives and staff about the service, which they used to inform and make service improvements when required. Recent feedback obtained from this showed overall satisfaction with the service.

The service was well managed and led. Staff were informed, supported and understood their role and responsibilities for people’s care. The provider’s governance arrangements helped to ensure the quality and safety of people’s care, ongoing accountability and continuous service improvement.

People we spoke with told us they were cared for by the staff team who generally knew what to do to assist them. One person told us, 'The staff have been great. I don't want anything to change.' Another person told us, 'It would be better if all the staff knew how to support me. Sometimes I have different staff who don't know me as well.'

The staff received training that was appropriate for their individual needs and provided them with the information they needed to care for the people living in their own home.

We looked at safeguarding procedures; this is how the service ensured people were protected from harm. We saw suitable systems were not in place to support and protect vulnerable adults and protect them.

There were quality monitoring systems in place and people were able to share their views and opinions about the service. People's views were not used to develop the service and maintain quality.