Home Instead

Updated 5 January 2019

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

This was a comprehensive inspection, covering all domains. It took place on 4 and 5 December 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure someone would be available to assist us and provide access to records.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector. An expert by experience contacted a sample of people who used the service and relatives, prior to us visiting the service. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. They obtained views from 11 people who used the service and four relatives.

We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We reviewed notifications and any other information we had received since the last inspection. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

We contacted the local authority commissioners of the service, to seek their views about people’s care.

We spoke with the registered manager, the provider and two staff members during our visit. Emails were sent to a sample of 20 other staff, to request feedback. We checked some of the required records. These included four people’s care plans, three people’s medicines records, three staff recruitment files, staff training and development files. Other records included quality assurance documents, a sample of policies and procedures and complaints.

Updated 5 January 2019

Home Instead Senior Care provides care to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection, 69 people received support with their personal care needs in the High Wycombe and surrounding areas. Most people who received a service were older people. Home Instead Senior Care provides a minimum of one hour visits.

At our last inspection in October 2016, we rated the service ‘good’. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of ‘good’ and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and on-going monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Why the service is rated ‘good’.

People told us they felt safe using the service. Care workers understood about protecting people from the risk of abuse and had undertaken training on safeguarding. Improvement had been made to how people’s medicines were managed. This ensured better recording was in place to provide clearer audit trails. Risks to people’s safety had been assessed and the service had action plans in place where risks were identified, to mitigate the likelihood of injury or harm.

There were enough staff to support people. They had been recruited using robust procedures. Staff told us they received good support and training. They could access managers when they needed advice or came across emergency situations.

People were supported with their healthcare and nutritional needs, to help keep them healthy and well. We have made a recommendation about the recording of meal and snack provision.

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.

People spoke positively about their care workers. Managers checked care worker practice by carrying out unannounced visits to people’s homes whilst they received support (with their permission). This included checking to see people’s cultural values and beliefs were respected and that staff offered choice and treated people with dignity. People could provide feedback about their care during reviews and through quality assurance surveys.

People’s needs had been assessed before they received support. Care plans were then produced which outlined the support they required. These were kept under review and updated as necessary. Care workers and managers were responsive to people’s changing needs and worked with health and social care professionals to promote their well-being. People’s complaints were responded to appropriately.

There were clear visions and values at the service. Staff described an open and transparent culture and said they would be confident in raising any concerns about people’s care.

The provider looked at ways of continual improvement for the service. Audits and surveys were carried out to check the quality of people’s care.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.