Connect Care Services Ltd

Updated 18 April 2023

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 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 was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 21 March 2023 and ended on 24 March 2023. We visited the location’s office/service on 21 March 2023.

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. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 3 people who used the service and contacted 4 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 4 members of staff including the registered manager, nominated individual and members of the staff team. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 4 people’s care records. We looked at 3 staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 18 April 2023

About the service

Connect Care Services Limited is a homecare agency providing personal care to older people and people with physical disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were 7 people receiving a regulated activity from the service. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (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

People felt safe, staff were suitably recruited, and there were enough staff to meet people’s needs. People’s needs and risk were assessed, and action was taken to mitigate risk. People were safely supported with medicines where they needed this support. The provider and registered manager were committed to learning lessons to improve care.

People told us staff were well trained, and staff told us they felt well supported. People’s needs were assessed, and care delivered in line with people’s preferences. Where people required support to eat and drink, clear information and guidance was available for staff. The service worked closely with other health care professionals as needed. 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.

People said staff were kind and caring and were very happy with the support they received. People felt involved in their care, and dignity and independence were promoted.

People’s care was delivered in a person-centred way. The registered manager knew how to support people with accessible information and respond to complaints and concerns.

People and relatives told us the registered manager and staff were very responsive and they felt involved in the service. The registered manager and staff team worked well together, there were clear roles and people talked about the culture of the service being very positive.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 03 March 2022 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Follow up

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