Violets Homecare Services Limited

Updated 20 February 2019

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.

The inspection started on 23 January 2019, was announced and was undertaken by one inspector. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection office visit because it is small and the registered manager could out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be available to support the inspection.

Before our inspection we reviewed information that we held about the service including statutory notifications that had been submitted. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us. We reviewed the provider information return (PIR). This is information that the provider is required to send to us, which gives us some key information about the service and tells us what the service does well and any improvements they plan to make.

Inspection activity started on 23 January 2019 and ended on 28 January 2019. On 23 and 24 January 2019 we spoke with four people who used the service, relatives of seven people and three staff members to gather their views about the support provided. We visited the office location on 28 January 2019 to meet with the registered manager and to review care records and policies and procedures.

We reviewed care records relating to three people who used the service and other documents central to peoples' health and well-being. These included staff training records, medication records and quality audits.

Updated 20 February 2019

This inspection was undertaken on 23, 24 and 28 January 2019.

Violets Homecare Services Limited 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 older people who may live with sensory or physical disabilities, dementia, mental illness or learning disabilities. At the time of this inspection 87 people were using the service.

Not everyone using Violets Homecare 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 consider any wider social care provided.

At our last inspection in June 2016 we rated the service as 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.

Staff had been trained about safeguarding people from avoidable harm and were knowledgeable about the potential risks and signs of abuse. Risks to people’s safety and wellbeing were assessed and managed in the least restrictive way possible. Enough staff were available to meet people’s needs. People were supported to take their medicines safely. Staff had received training in infection control practices and personal protective equipment was provided for them. The management used incidents as a learning tool to help further ensure people’s safety and wellbeing.

Staff received training and supervision to enable them to meet people’s care and support needs. The service worked within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice. People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts to maintain their health and wellbeing. The staff and management team worked in partnership with external professionals and families to help ensure people’s needs were identified and met.

People had a stable team of staff to support them which helped to ensure continuity and enabled people to form bonds with the staff. Staff understood the importance of promoting people’s independence and respecting their dignity. People's care records were stored securely to help maintain their dignity and confidentiality.

People had been involved in developing care plans that addressed all areas of their lives. The provider and registered manager had appropriate and robust processes in place to manage concerns or complaints.

The registered manager and provider undertook a range of routine checks which were effective in identifying shortfalls. The registered manager was committed to providing good care and support and demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of the staff they employed and people who used the service.