Seniors Helping Seniors

Updated 5 May 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 an 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.

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 48 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 17 April and ended on 24 April 2023. We visited the location’s office on 17 April 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. 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

We spoke with 8 people and relatives about their experiences of the service. We spoke with 6 staff including the provider, nominated individual, registered manager and 3 care staff. 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 3 people’s care records and 3 staff files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including checks were reviewed.

Updated 5 May 2023

About the service

Seniors Helping Seniors is a domiciliary service providing personal care to older people, younger adults and people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 9 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

People told us they felt safe when they received a service from Seniors Helping Seniors. They told us staff treated them with dignity and respect and gave them privacy. People were supported to continue to live their lives in the way they wanted and stay in contact with friends and relatives.

People were protected from the risks of harm and abuse. Staff knew how to identify and raise any concerns they had. Risks had been assessed with people and ways to keep them safe, while remaining independent, had been agreed.

Staff supported people to remain well. People were offered food and drinks they liked. People’s medicines were managed safely. Staff practice protected people from the risk of infection.

People’s needs were assessed with them before they began to receive a service. People had planned their care with staff and were supported to live their lives in the way they wanted. People had been invited to share their end of life preferences.

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.

There were enough staff to support people. People received their care from a team of staff they knew. Staff arrived at the agreed time. Staff had the skills they required to care for people and were supported by the registered manager and provider. Staff were recruited safely.

The provider and staff shared a clear vision for the service. People and staff were asked for their views of the service. These were listened to and acted on. People were confident to raise any concerns they had about the service they received.

The registered manager and provider had oversight of the service. Regular checks were completed on the quality of care people received. The provider had plans in operation to continually improve the service.

The registered manager and provider understood their legal responsibilities and had shared information with us when they needed to. They worked with other organisations to ensure they kept up to date with changes in legislation and developments best practice.

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 24 January 2022 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on our inspection programme.

Follow up

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