Archived: Redspot Homecare

Updated 22 July 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.

This inspection took place on 16 and 17 April 2015 and was announced. The registered provider was given 48 hours’ notice to ensure that people would be available in the office to talk to us, as the service is community-based. The inspection team consisted of one inspector and an expert by experience. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before the inspection we reviewed all the information that we held about the service. During the inspection we spoke with 21people, 16 relatives, one care worker, one team co-ordinator, one operations manager and the registered manager.

In order to gain feedback about the service, we reviewed the organisation’s records.  We looked at ten care plans and risk assessments, ten staff personnel files, ten staff training records, policies and procedures, audits and other documents related to the management of the service.

Updated 22 July 2015

We undertook an unannounced inspection of Redspot Homecare Domiciliary Agency (DCA) on 16 and 17 April 2015. We told the provider two days before the visit that we would be coming. The DCA provides personal care services to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection 179 people were receiving a personal care service., 12 people were funding their own care through direct payments. The other 167 people had their care purchased by a local authority.

At our last inspection on 6 November 2013 the service was meeting all regulations that were inspected. The service has a registered manager. 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 a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associate4d Regulations about how the service is run.

People told us they didn't always feel safe receiving care from Redspot as there were often staff they didn't know carrying out visits. Staff did not always arrive to their allocated times which meant that people were left waiting to be prompted to receive their medicine and have other care needs met.

Staff had a good understanding of the people they supported and were aware of their individual needs. Staff worked in a person centred manner when delivering care. Comprehensive care plans were in place which reflected peoples changing needs and where possible peoples decisions in relation to the care they received were implemented.

Where detailed in the care plan, staff supported people to access food and drink. Staff supported people to access the local community to carry out their personal shopping.

The service had policies and procedures in  relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. staff had an understanding od the systems in place to protect people who could not make decisions and would follow the legal requirements outlined in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

Staff received on-going support by regular supervisions and appraisals where all development needs were assessed and reviewed. Staff also received on-going training in order to carry out their role effectively and ensure peoples needs were met.

people told us that staff supported them with taking their medicine but they administered this themselves. Staff comments and evidence we reviewed confirmed this.

The registered manager tried to match staff delivering care to the needs of people, for example where English was not someone's first language, staff who shared the same native language would be sought.

Care plans demonstrated that where possible people and their relatives were involved in planning of the care they received. People and their relatives told us that they were treated with respect and dignity.

the registered manager carried out audits of the service provision to ensure peoples views were gathered and where possible suggestions were implemented.

The registered manager actively sought partnership working with other health care professionals and accreditation organisations.