Acre Care Limited

Updated 8 June 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 undertaken by an inspector.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.

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 were 2 registered managers in post.

Notice of inspection

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 9 May 2023 and ended on 15 May 2023. We visited the location’s office on 9 May 2023.

What we did before the inspection

The provider had submitted the required Provider Information Return (PIR), however, due to technical problems, the PIR was not used to plan 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 reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from Healthwatch, Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 6 people who used the service and 3 people’s relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 8 members of staff including the registered manager, area manager, team leader, field care supervisor and care workers. We spoke with 4 health and social care professionals who work with the service.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 5 people’s care records and medicine 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 8 June 2023

About the service

Acre Care Limited is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes with a range of health and social care needs, such as, physical disabilities, sensory impairment or dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 48 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 and they could speak with the registered manager if they had any concerns. One relative said, “[Person] is 100% in safe hands, any slight problem staff are on the phone to us.” Staff completed safeguarding training and understood their responsibilities to recognise and report signs of potential abuse.

People received their medicines safely. Staff had completed training and had their competency checked prior to supporting people with their medicines. Members of the management team checked to ensure medicines were being administered safely. Staff followed infection prevention and control procedures to protect people from the spread of infection. People told us staff helped them keep their homes clean.

People’s health risks were assessed; care plans guided staff on the support people required. Where people were at risk of falls, visit times were adjusted to minimise potential accidents. Risk assessments were in place for staff to follow when supporting people with equipment to safely move and position.

People were protected by the safe recruitment of staff. Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and checks from previous employment were carried out prior to staff commencing employment. Staff completed training relevant to their role before supporting people. Staff received regular supervisions and spot checks to ensure they were confident and competent to meet people’s assessed needs.

People told us staff asked for consent before supporting them and choices were always given. One person told us, “They always ask me what I need them to do, they do everything I ask of them. They check I am ok before they go, they check I have eaten enough; they prepare me something simple, but they ask what I have in and give me choices.”

People lived their lives according to how and when they wished to be supported. People told us staff spent time to get to know them. One person said, “I have got to know them well over the years. I can’t fault them, they have to got to know me well too, they seem to take an interest in me.” People contributed to their care plans and received care personalised to their needs, staff made sure visits were at a time that suited people. One relative said, “Staff don’t have a set time as such, it’s roughly around the same time. Originally it was early but [person] isn’t an early bird, staff literally do things around her.”

People were treated with dignity and respect and described the staff as caring and kind. Comments included, “The staff are very, very, very nice, I have different ones, but they are all beautifully nice. They are my favourites, all of them.” A relative said, “Mum is really happy with them, she thinks they are brilliant.”

The registered manager and staff worked with health and social care professionals; referrals were made when it was noted people may benefit from their involvement. Where people required additional time or additional visits, the registered manager contacted the local authority for reviews. A social care professional told us, “[Registered manager] and their staff are quick to tell us any problems we need to sort out.”

People told us they were happy with the management of the service. Staff spoke highly of the registered manager, and said they were able to contact them when required. Comments from people and staff included, “The management is amazing, nothing negative to say about them. With this company I feel happy and relaxed, there is someone I can speak to if I had any problems.” And, “[Registered manager] is lovely, they come to my house to check I am happy with the service.”

Quality assurance processes were effective, processes included audits and feedback from people. The management team were keen to develop the service but told us they did not want to comprise quality over quantity. They said, “We grow, but we grow safely.”

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. Staff had received Mental Capacity Act (MCA) training and understood the principles of supporting people in the least restrictive way.

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 February 2022 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This is the first inspection for this newly registered service.

Follow up

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