Archived: Here2Care (Medway)

Updated 13 June 2017

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.

This comprehensive inspection took place on 26 and 27 April 2017 and was announced with 48 hours’ notice being given. We gave notice to ensure the registered manager would be available. The inspection was carried out by one inspector. On the 26 April we visited the service’s office. On 27 April we telephoned seven people or their relatives. This was to speak with them about their experiences of the service and the care they received.

Prior to the inspection, we looked at previous inspection reports and notifications about important events that had taken place at the service. Before the inspection, we asked the provider to complete 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. The provider returned a PIR within the set time scale. We also obtained feedback from three external health and social care professionals.

We spoke to the registered manager, personnel manager, five support staff, the care advisor and their assistant, the care quality officer and two care co-ordinators. We viewed a number of records including five care plans, a sample of call monitoring records, compliments and complaints logs, safeguarding, medicines and complaints policies, audits and quality assurance questionnaires. We also looked at seven staff files, the staff training programme, staff team minutes and staff handbook.

Updated 13 June 2017

Care service description

Here2care (Medway) provides personal care and support to people in their own homes in Rochester, Chatham, Strood, Gillingham, Rainham and surrounding areas. At the time of the inspection the service was providing care for around 130 people. This included older people, people living with dementia and people with a learning or physical disability.

Rating at last inspection

At the last inspection on 24 and 26 February 2015, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated Good

The service was run by a registered manager who was present on the day of our visit. 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 trusted staff and therefore felt safe whilst being supported by them. Staff had received training in how to safeguard people. They knew what signs to look out for which would cause concern and how to report them so the appropriate action could be taken to help keep them safe.

Comprehensive employment checks were carried out on all potential staff at the service, to ensure that they were suitable for their role. People had their needs met by staff that were available in sufficient numbers.

Assessments of potential risks had been undertaken in relation to the environment that people lived and worked in and in relation to people’s personal care needs. This included potential risks involved in moving and handling people, supporting people with their personal care needs and with managing medicines. Guidance was in place for staff to follow to make sure that any risks were minimised.

A medicines policy was in place to guide staff. Staff continued to receive training in the administration and storage of medicines and a system was in place to regularly check they had the knowledge and competence to manage people’s medicines safely.

New staff received an induction which ensured that they had the skills they required, before they started to support people in their own homes. Staff continued to undertake face to face training in essential areas, their practice was observed and they shadowed senior staff to ensure they were competent. People said that staff had the skills and knowledge they needed to support them.

Staff had undertaken training in The Mental Capacity Act (MCA). The MCA provides the legal framework to assess people’s capacity to make certain decisions, at a certain time. When people are assessed as not having the capacity to make a decision, a best interest decision is made involving people who know the person well and other professionals, where relevant.

People’s health care and nutrition needs had been assessed and clear guidance was in place for staff to follow, to ensure that their specific health care needs were met. Staff liaised with health professionals when appropriate.

Staff were consistently kind and caring and treated people with dignity and respect. Staff had developed relationships with people and a memory bank had been introduced to gain a more detailed account of people’s life histories.

People’s care, treatment and support needs were assessed and a plan of care was developed jointly with the person which included their likes and dislikes. Individual guidance was in place for staff to follow to meet people’s needs.

People were informed of their right to raise any concerns about the service and were contacted people on a regular basis so they could raise any issues. When complaints had been raised the service had dealt with them appropriately.

There continued to be robust systems in place to assess and monitor the quality of the service, which included asking people about their experiences. The registered manager had sustained an open and positive culture and staff knew how to put the aims and values of the service into practice so people received personalised care. People said they would recommend the service to others.