Background to this inspection
Updated
24 September 2015
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.
The inspection took place on 18 August 2015 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be available to meet with us at their office. The inspection was conducted by one inspector.
The provider completed 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. Some of the information we requested was not included in the PIR, but the provider supplied that information during our visit. We did not conduct an initial survey of people who used the service, because we did not have their contact details in advance of our visit to their office. The registered manager gave us a list of contact details during our visit.
We reviewed the information we held about the service. We looked at information received from relatives and from the local authority commissioners. The registered manager had not sent us any statutory notifications during the previous 12 months, because no notifiable events had occurred. A statutory notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send to us by law. Commissioners are people who work to find appropriate care and support services which are paid for by the local authority.
We spoke by telephone with one person who used the service, six relatives, one representative of people who used the service and six members of care staff. We spoke face to face with the registered manager and provider. We reviewed four people’s care plans and daily records, to see how their care and support was planned and delivered. We checked whether staff were recruited safely and trained to deliver care and support appropriate to each person’s needs. We reviewed records of the checks the management team made to assure themselves people received a quality service.
Updated
24 September 2015
We inspected this service on 18 August 2015. The inspection was announced.
The service delivers personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection 50 people were receiving the service.
There was a registered manager in post. 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 told us they felt safe with the care staff that came to their home. The provider had policies and procedures to minimise risks to people’s safety. Staff were trained in safeguarding and understood the signs of abuse and their responsibilities to keep people safe. The registered manager checked staff’s suitability to deliver personal care during the recruitment process.
Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were identified and care plans were written to minimise the identified risks. Staff understood people’s needs and abilities because they shadowed experienced staff and read the care plans when they started working for the service.
The registered manager assessed risks in each person’s home and staff knew the actions they should take to minimise the risks. The provider’s medicines’ policy and procedures ensured that staff were trained in medicines management and the registered manager checked that people received their medicines as prescribed.
Staff received the training and support they needed to meet people’s needs effectively. Staff had regular opportunities to reflect on their practice and consider their personal career development.
The registered manager understood their responsibility to comply with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Records showed that people and their families were involved in planning care their care. People made their own decisions about their care and support. Staff understood they could only care for and support people who consented to receive care.
Staff were knowledgeable about the importance of people maintaining their health through adequate nutrition. Staff referred people to other health professionals for advice and support when their health needs changed and supported people to follow the health professionals’ advice.
Staff had regular care calls so they got to know people well. People told us their care staff were kind and respected their privacy, dignity and independence. Care staff were thoughtful and recognised and respected people’s cultural values and preferences.
People were confident any complaints would be listened to and action taken to resolve them, but issues that arose were dealt with immediately, before a formal complaint was raised.
The provider’s quality monitoring system included asking people for their views about the quality of the service through telephone conversations, visits by the management team and regular questionnaires.
The registered manager checked people received the care they needed by monitoring calls, reviewing care plans, working with care staff at people’s homes and at unannounced checks to observe staff’s practice.