Background to this inspection
Updated
21 May 2020
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
This inspection was undertaken by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
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.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 24 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 01 October 2019 and ended on 12 November 2019. We visited the office location on 02 October 2019.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager and care workers.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervisions. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
After the site visit, we telephoned four people who use the service and three relatives to gather their experience of the care and support provided. We also telephoned and spoke with three health and social care professionals who regularly work with the service. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.
Updated
21 May 2020
About the service
Crossroads Caring for Carers is a domiciliary care service which is registered to provide people with personal care in their own homes. On the day of our inspection there were 90 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
There was a positive and empowering culture established within the service. This meant people were supported by exceptionally caring and attentive staff that knew them well and helped them to achieve their potential. People were encouraged to live as full a life as possible and supported to achieve the best possible outcomes. Staff had formed positive relationships with people they supported and looked for ways to make them feel valued. Care was person centred and delivered by committed and dedicated staff.
The leadership of the service was outstanding. Robust quality assurance systems had sustained continual development and improvement throughout the service resulting in positive outcomes for people. The registered manager, supported by their senior management team, had established a person-centred culture amongst the staff team, that consistently delivered high quality care. Staff and the management team were passionate and motivated about their roles and understood their responsibilities. They actively engaged and included people, their relatives and professionals in the ongoing design and delivery of their care and support.
Without exception feedback was complimentary about the caring, attentive nature and approach of the staff and management team. It was evident feedback was valued and used to further enhance people's experience of using the service.
People were safe using the service. There were established relationships of trust and support between staff which enabled people to stay safe. Staff were very sensitive to the challenges of people living in the community. They acted proactively when concerns were identified and supported people to protect themselves.
Since our last inspection, the service has grown from strength to strength. Clear leadership and effective management had led to a visibly person-centred culture that was embedded throughout the service. This consistently delivered high quality care and support achieving positive outcomes for people. This was underpinned by the provider's principles, values and expectations of staff which demonstrate the characteristics of an outstanding service.
The provider clearly demonstrated how they consistently met the characteristics of providing outstanding care. The registered manager and the staff team ensured people were at the heart of the service and received high quality person-centred care. Staff were clearly committed and compassionate, striving to provide outstanding care, with excellent outcomes at all times. People were treated with exceptional kindness, dignity and respect and received their care and support from a highly motivated and dedicated staff team.
People received highly effective care and support from a consistent staff team who knew them well and were well trained. People's rights to make their own decisions were protected. Staff worked well together for the benefit of people and were completely focused on meeting people’s individual personal, health and social care needs.
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. When people were unable to make decisions about their care and support, the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) were followed. There was evidence the service went the extra mile to ensure people were supported to make decisions.
Staff were skilled in communicating and understanding the needs of the people they supported. There continued to be enough staff safely recruited, trained and supported appropriately in their roles to care and meet people’s needs.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 25 April 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.