Background to this inspection
Updated
25 January 2024
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 carried out by 1 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.
Registered Manager
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service short notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. We also requested consent from people, their relatives and staff members to call them over the telephone.
Inspection activity started on 9 January 2024 and ended on 10 January 2024. We visited the location’s office on both days.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service and asked the local authority for feedback.
The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about the service, what it does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
With their permission, we spoke with 5 people using the service, 3 relatives, a friend and 3 members of staff over the telephone. We also spoke with the deputy manager, the training manager, the recruitment consultant, the field care supervisor and the registered manager at the agency’s office.
We reviewed a range of records. This included 3 people’s care documentation and associated records. We also looked at 3 staff files in relation to recruitment. In addition, we looked at records relating to the management of the service including policies and procedures and staff training as well as audits and quality checks.
Updated
25 January 2024
About the service
Exemplary Care Services Ltd is a domiciliary care agency registered to provide personal care to people in their own homes.
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. At the time of the inspection, a total of 92 people were using the service, of which 31 people were receiving support with personal care.
People's experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they felt safe and staff were kind and caring. There were sufficient numbers of staff deployed to meet people's needs and ensure their safety. Staff were recruited safely, and relevant checks had been carried out. People were supported by staff who had been trained and were appropriately supervised. People’s needs were assessed prior to the receipt of service. People were protected from the risks associated with the spread of infection. People received their medicines 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 practice.
People were positive about the care and support they received. People were treated with dignity and respect, and their independence was encouraged. Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. People had personalised care plans which considered their needs and preferences.
The management team promoted a person-centred culture which was focused on meeting people's individual needs. The registered manager was focused on providing a quality service to people and was committed to the continuous improvement of the service. The management team and staff sought feedback and worked in partnership with others including health and social care professionals to ensure people received the support they needed.
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 19 June 2022 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection to check whether the provider was meeting legal requirements and regulations, and to provide a rating for the service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.