Clover Care

Updated 13 April 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team: The inspection was completed by one inspector.

Service and service type: Clover Care is a small Care at Home service, registered to provide personal care to adults who live in their own homes. At the time of inspection Clover Care was providing personal care to four people with a learning disability who chose to live together and rent their own rooms in a shared house.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the registered manager is often out of the office supporting staff. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

Inspection site visit activity started on 27 March 2019 and ended on that day. We visited the office location to see the manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures.

What we did: Before our inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service, including changes, events or incidents that the provider is legally obliged to send us within the required timescales. We contacted professionals in local authority commissioning teams and safeguarding teams.

Before the inspection the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed this in advance of the inspection and used it to inform the inspection.

We spoke with one person and six relatives over the telephone. We spoke with two members of staff: the registered manager and the nominated individual.

We looked at two people's care plans, risk assessments and medicines records. We reviewed staff training and recruitment documentation, quality assurance systems, a selection of the home's policies and procedures, meeting minutes and maintenance records. Following the inspection, we contacted two members of support staff.

Updated 13 April 2019

About the service: Clover Care is a small Care at Home service supporting people to live independently. The service was providing personal care and support to four people who shared a house at the time of inspection.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

People’s experience of using this service: The registered manager and nominated individual retained close oversight of the service. They ensured standards were maintained and people received a high quality of care from staff who knew them well.

The registered manager was supported by a team of dedicated staff who understood their roles and were well trained. People’s relatives spoke highly of the registered manager, as did staff.

Staff had evidently developed strong bonds with people and in most cases had worked with them for a number of years. Staff turnover was low and morale high.

Good community links remained in place. People attended a range of activities, for instance recreational, educational and vocational. The registered manager ensured people had opportunities to engage in their local community and beyond. They and the nominated individual played a proactive role in their community, increasing people’s independence and confidence.

Records were accurate, up to date and person-centred.

People’s medicines needs were clearly assessed and planned for. Medicines administration was safe and staff had the appropriate skills and knowledge.

People were kept safe and staff were suitably trained in safeguarding principles and practice.

People’s capacity was assumed and staff acted in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Appropriate training was in place.

The registered manager had been in post for several years and demonstrated an excellent knowledge of the needs people. Relatives and external professionals spoke of their confidence in the registered manager and staff team.

The registered manager had acted on advice from external stakeholders to improve the service.

Staff at all levels continued to deliver the compassionate, individualised approach to care the service promoted. They received formal and informal support from the registered manager.

Plans were in place for how the service would be managed should it grow in size.

The care service was managed in line with the values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

Rating at last inspection: We last inspected the service in May 2016 and rated the service good.

Why we inspected: We inspected the service in line with our scheduled programme of inspections.