Archived: Focus Care Services - Huddersfield

Updated 16 November 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 29 September 2016 and was announced.

The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service; we needed to be sure that someone would be in. The inspection was conducted by one adult social care inspector.

We gathered and reviewed information before the inspection from notifications, and the provider information return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what it does well and improvements they plan to make. This form enables the provider to submit in advance information about their service to inform the inspection. We contacted partners in the local authority and Healthwatch prior to the inspection. We spoke face to face with one person who used the service and by telephone with another person. We spoke with the registered manager and two staff in person, and a further five staff by telephone. We spoke with three people's relatives by telephone. We reviewed the care records for all people using the service, looked at staff files and documentation to show how the service was run.

Updated 16 November 2016

The inspection took place on 29 September 2016 and was announced. The last inspection was in 2013 and the service was compliant with the regulations at that time.

Focus Care Services is a registered domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to people in their own homes. The office base of the agency is situated close to the town centre of Huddersfield. At the time of our inspection there were five people who used the service for the regulated activity of personal care.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People's safety was considered and there were detailed risk assessments in people's care records for staff to understand how to support people safely.

Safeguarding procedures were known by staff and staff were confident to use whistleblowing procedures to report any poor practice. The safeguarding information available to staff contained internal details of how to report concerns, although contact information for safeguarding authorities was not immediately available.

Staff completed regular training and there was regular monitoring of staff competencies; staff were encouraged to reflect upon their practice and consider areas for development.

People's mental capacity was considered and their rights and choices were respected.

Staff had a caring attitude and approach to their work, they valued one another and they had a positive attitude towards ensuring people's privacy and dignity was respected.

Care plans were person centred, with regular reviews of people's care and evidence of people's involvement.

Complaints and compliments were appropriately managed with positive comments fed back to staff.

The registered manager promoted a culture of transparency and openness and aimed to ensure a quality service was delivered to people.