Comfort Call Middlesbrough

Updated 11 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

1 inspector and 2 Experts by Experience carried out this inspection. 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

This inspection was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 6 April 2023 and ended on 26 April 2023. We visited the location’s office on 6 April 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the service was registered with CQC. 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

We spoke with 8 people who used the service and 6 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 15 members of staff including the registered manager, the nominated individual, care and office workers. 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 6 people’s care records and medicine administration 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 11 May 2023

About the service

Comfort Call Middlesbrough is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people in their own homes. The service supports people in Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and North Yorkshire. At the time of the inspection 147 people were receiving personal care from the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People and relatives spoke positively about people’s care experience. Staff knew people they supported well and treated them with dignity and respect.

People were safeguarded from abuse. Medicines were managed safely. Risks to people were assessed and monitored. Staffing levels were monitored to ensure people received effective and safe support. The provider had effective infection prevention and control systems in place.

Staff were supported with training, supervision and appraisal. People’s needs and choices were assessed on an ongoing basis. Staff worked effectively with other professionals involved in people’s care. 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.

Care plans were developed with the involvement of people and their relatives. Staff helped people to make their voices heard. The provider had a complaints system in place, and people and relatives were aware of this.

Governance systems were used to monitor and improve standards. Feedback was sought and acted on. Staff worked in effective partnership with a range of external professionals.

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 28 January 2022 and this is the first inspection.

The last rating for the service at the previous premises was good, published on 25 February 2020.

Why we inspected

We inspected this service to give it a rating.

Follow up

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