Updated 16 July 2021
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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by two inspectors. Following the site visit, one expert by experience telephoned people who received care from the service and relatives to obtain feedback about their 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
Westminster Homecare Limited (North London/Herts) provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It also provides care and support to people living in three extra care living settings so that people can live in their own home as independently as possible. It provides support to people of all ages living with a range of needs including, learning disabilities, mental health conditions, sensory impairments and physical disabilities.
People's care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. The CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care support; this inspection looked at people's personal care and support.
At the time of this inspection, there was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service two working days' notice of the inspection because the service provides care to people in their own homes and extra care living settings and we wanted to make sure that management were available on the day of the inspection site visit. We also gave notice of our visit so that management could seek agreement from people using the service to us visiting them in their extra care living settings.
Inspection activity started on 11 June 2021 and ended on 24 June 2021.
What we did before the inspection
Before the inspection visit, we reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included information about incidents the provider must notify us of, such as any allegations of abuse. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.
During the inspection
We visited the office location on 11 June 2021 to see management staff and review a range of records which included people’s care records, medication records, staff files in relation to recruitment and governance records. On the same day we visited one extra care living setting and met and spoke with four people who used the service.
During our site inspection we spoke with a total of ten staff which included operations director, operations manager, registered manager, team leader, care coordinator and care workers.
After the inspection
One expert by experience telephoned people who received care from the service and relatives after the inspection. They spoke with ten people who received care from the service and 16 relatives about their experiences of the service. We spoke with nine care workers. We also had contact with two external healthcare professionals.
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.