Background to this inspection
Updated
31 August 2023
The inspection
We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act). We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements of the regulations associated with the Act and looked at the quality of the service to provide a rating.
Unlike our standard approach to assessing performance, we did not physically visit the office of the location. This is a new approach we have introduced to reviewing and assessing performance of some care at home providers. Instead of visiting the office location we use technology such as electronic file sharing and video or phone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.
Inspection team
The inspection was completed by 1 inspector.
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 provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations. At the time of our inspection there were 2 registered managers in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service was small and we wanted to be sure a member of the management team would be available to support us with the inspection. Inspection activity started on 14 July 2023 and ended on 27 July 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We spoke with the local authority to gain their views of 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 also reviewed the information we hold about the service on our system.
During the inspection
This performance review and assessment was carried out without a visit to the location’s office. We used technology such as video calls with the registered managers, we telephoned people who used the service but only 1 person was able to speak with us over the phone. We spoke with 3 people’s relatives and 3 members of staff. We reviewed 3 peoples risk assessments, care plans, reviews in full. Daily notes for 2 people and three people’s consent to care documents. Staff recruitment checks were completed for 2 members of staff. Training records, staff rotas and monitoring data of care visits, quality monitoring audits, and emergency plans were also reviewed.
Updated
31 August 2023
About the service
Hallmark Healthcare Services Ltd is a domiciliary care service providing personal care in people’s own homes. At the time of our inspection there were 4 people using the service. The service was supporting older people. 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.
At the time of the inspection, the location did not care or support for anyone with a learning disability or an autistic person. However, we assessed the care provision under Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture, as it is registered as a specialist service for this population group.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
We found some shortfalls with how the registered managers and provider assessed some aspects of the quality of the service provided. For example, in risk assessments, medicine prompting, care planning to assist people with their interests and social life, and care visit monitoring. But these issues did not have a negative impact on people, it had the potential to, so the registered managers will need to make improvements in these areas moving forward.
We made a recommendation to improve the management of medicines when staff were being asked to remind people to take their medicines.
People told us they felt safe and were happy with the care staff and the registered managers who supported them. One person told us, “I don’t know what we would do without [name of member of staff] it works so well.” Another person said, “They [staff] are so polite.” A person’s relative told us, “[Name of relative] is happy so I’m happy.”
People received regular care visits at times they had chosen. They saw regular staff who they were introduced to by another member of staff before they started visiting them.
There was enough staff to support people. Staff said they felt supported and listened to. The registered managers monitored staff practice to check people were being supported safely and were happy with their care.
Staff raised concerns about people’s health needs to them directly and the managers. They also sign posted people and their relatives to resources which they thought would help them.
People and their relatives said staff and the registered managers were kind and polite. They also said staff were respectful towards them and their homes.
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. But improvements were needed to ensure consent was always sought directly with those who had capacity rather than seek this from their relatives.
There was a positive open culture amongst the staff team and the registered managers.
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
This service was registered with us on 15 February 2022, and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This service had not previously been inspected and we wanted to check that people were receiving safe care and support.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.