Background to this inspection
Updated
15 May 2021
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
This inspection was carried out by two inspectors 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.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service five days’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed time to arrange to contact people using the service and needed to be sure the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 28 April 2021 and ended on 30 April 2021. We visited the office location on 28 April 2021.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority, Healthwatch England and professionals who work with the service. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with 13 people who used the service and six relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with ten members of staff including the nominated individual, registered manager, senior care workers and care workers. We spoke with two professionals who regularly visit the service.
We reviewed a range of records. This included six people’s care records and medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision and induction. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found in relation to care records.
Updated
15 May 2021
About the service
Civicare (Beds, Herts & Bucks), is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to people in their own home. The service was supporting 87 people at the time of the inspection. There were 48 people receiving the regulated activity of personal care at the time of the inspection.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The registered manager had systems in place to make sure that staff were suitable for their role. All staff had checks on their employment history and a criminal record check.
People and relatives told us communication was good and they were encouraged to give feedback on the service. They felt able to raise concerns or suggestions to the registered manager.
People were very happy with the care they received. People told us they felt safe and understood as they had a regular team of staff who they knew well.
One person said, “I feel very safe. Staff have very good timekeeping, and I have the same carers most days, but whoever comes in is very nice. [Staff] collect my medication and will always make sure I take it before I leave. They know my likes and dislikes and I am always treated with kindness and respect. My impression of the service is they are great.”
People were supported by staff who were trained in how to keep them safe and knew how to identify and report any concerns. Staff were encouraged to be involved in scenario-based learning. This helped staff to understand how they might respond and apply the learning to any future incidents or concerns.
People told us staff always collected and administered their medicines correctly. Staff were trained in safe administration of medicines and received regular checks on their knowledge ad practice by the registered manager or a senior supervisor.
Staff had received training in infection prevention and control which included safe management of the risks related to COVID-19. People told us staff always wore the correct gloves, aprons and masks and washed their hands when supporting them in their home.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 27 June 2019) and there were multiple breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
Why we inspected
We carried out an announced inspection of this service on 07 May 2019. Breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve good governance and fit and proper persons employed.
We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe and Well-led which contain those requirements.
The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions not looked at on this occasion were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Civicare (Beds, Herts & Bucks) on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
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.