SentriCare

Updated 20 October 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection team comprised of one inspector and an Expert by Experience making telephone calls to people who used the service and their family members. 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.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced on the first day of the site visit and announced for the second day on site.

Inspection activity started on 05 July 2022 and ended on 20 July 2022. We visited the location’s office on 05 and 07 July 2022.

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 and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection activity

We spoke with three people who used the service and 10 relatives. We also spoke with five care staff, the care manager, the registered manager and a director of the service. We reviewed 11 care plans and a selection of medication records and risk assessments. We also used technology such as electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation sent to us by the provider, following the site visits.

Updated 20 October 2022

About the service

Sentricare is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were 72 people using the service.

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 provider's oversight of the service had not identified some of the shortfalls we found during the inspection process as part of their audits and checks.

There were systems in place for managing complaints, safeguarding concerns, accidents and incidents. However, feedback from people and relatives on how the provider dealt with complaints and concerns was mixed. The main complaint raised by people and their family members were late calls, the consistency of staff attending people’s homes and poor communication with the office staff.

Most risks to people had been assessed. However, risk assessments were generic and had not always contained person-centred information to support staff with people’s individual medical conditions.

People were protected from abuse because systems were in place to keep people safe. Staff were aware of their responsibilities to keep people safe.

There were enough staff members available to support people. People were supported by staff to take their medicines. Generally, staff followed infection control guidance and had access to personal protective equipment.

There were appropriate pre-employment checks in place to make sure newly recruited staff were suitable to carry out their role.

People’s care and support was planned in partnership with them and persons close to them. Care plans were in place and had been reviewed. Staff received training and people told us they felt supported by the staff and considered they had the skills and knowledge to support them safely. Staff sought people's consent and encouraged people to make their own decisions. Where appropriate, staff supported people with nutritional and hydration needs.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 18 September 2020). The service remains rated requires improvement. This service has been rated requires improvement for the last two consecutive inspections.

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about missed and late calls, staff not staying the correct length of time, client confidentiality and infection control practices. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make some improvements. Please see the safe, responsive and well-led sections of this full report.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Sentricare on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Enforcement and Recommendations

We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to monitor the service and will take further action if needed.

We have identified breaches in relation to the provider’s governance and monitoring processes at this inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.