Elmich Care Northampton

Updated 15 December 2021

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

Our inspection was conducted by one inspector.

Service and service type

Elmich Care Northampton is a domiciliary care service, registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes in the community.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). This means 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 two working days' notice of our inspection. This was because we needed to be sure the registered manager would be available to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 18 November and ended on 19 November 22021. We visited the office location on 18 November 2021.

What we did before the inspection

In planning our inspection, we reviewed information we had received about the service. This included any notifications (events which happened in the service that the provider is required to tell us about) and feedback from the local authority.

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. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection.

As part of the inspection we spoke with two people using the service. We had discussions with the registered manager and the Nominated Individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We also spoke with two care and support staff.

We spoke with a healthcare professional involved in one person’s care who the service was supporting.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records, their risk assessments and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. We reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including staff rotas, accident and incident analysis, the complaints log and quality assurance records.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at key policies and procedures, staff training information and governance information.

Updated 15 December 2021

About the service

Elmich Care Northampton is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. supported living services and extra care housing services. At the time of the inspection there were two people receiving personal care and support in a shared house.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (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 received safe care and staff had completed training in how to keep people safe from avoidable harm, neglect and discrimination. Risks to people's safety were assessed and strategies were put in place to reduce any risks. There were sufficient numbers of staff who had been safely recruited to meet people's needs.

People’s medicines were safely managed, and systems were in place to control and prevent the spread of infection.

People's care needs were assessed before they started to receive care, to ensure their needs could be fully met. Staff received an induction when they first commenced work at the service and ongoing training that enabled them to have the skills and knowledge to provide effective care.

People were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain their health and well. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and access healthcare services.

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 provided care and support in a caring and meaningful way. They knew the people who used the service well and had built up kind and compassionate relationships with them. People's privacy and dignity was always maintained.

Care plans described how staff needed to support people with individual and personalised care. There was a complaints procedure in place and systems to deal with complaints effectively.

The service was well managed. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and actions were taken, and improvements were made when required, Staff felt well supported and said the registered manager was open and approachable. The service worked in partnership with outside agencies.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support: People were supported to have choice and control of their lives. The model of care maximised people's choice inclusion and independence.

Right care: People received person-centred care that was based around their individual needs, dreams and aspirations.

Right culture: The registered manager and staff promoted a very positive, transparent and open culture. There was a strong culture within the service of treating people with dignity and respect and staff spent time getting to know people and their specific needs before they provided them with care and support.

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 CQC on 16 July 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection following registration.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.