Archived: Highfield Domiciliary Care Agency

Updated 5 April 2016

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 registered 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.

The inspection was completed by an adult social care inspector on 7 March 2016 and was unannounced. Before the inspection, we looked at the notifications we received from the service and reviewed all the intelligence CQC held to help inform us about the level of risk for this service.

During our inspection we spoke with eight people who used the service and four of their relatives. We also spoke with the assistant homecare manager, four members of care staff and one homecare organiser.

We looked at six people’s care plans along with the associated risk assessments and their Medication Administration Records (MARs). We also looked at how the service used the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) to ensure that the service understood and complied with this legislation.

We looked at a selection of documentation pertaining to the management and running of the service. This included quality assurance information, staff recruitment records, training records, newsletters, meeting minutes and policies and procedures.

Updated 5 April 2016

Highfield Domiciliary Care Agency provides short term services for up to six weeks to people over the age of 18 as well as an out of hour call out service and emergency response. The offices are based within Highfield Resource Centre which is situated to the East of the city of Hull. The office is accessible to people with a physical disability.

This unannounced inspection took place on 7 March 2016.The service was last inspected in November 2013 and was found to be compliant with the regulations inspected at that time.

The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission [CQC] to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. Before the inspection took place the service had appropriately completed a, ‘statutory notification about the absence of a registered individual for 28 or more consecutive days’.

People who used the service were protected from abuse and avoidable harm by staff who had been trained to recognise potential abuse and understood their responsibility to report poor practice. Risk assessments had been created to mitigate known risks to people’s health, safety and welfare. Guidance was provided to staff to ensure they knew how to safely manage and reduce risks. Suitable numbers of staff were employed to meet the assessed needs of the people who used the service. Staff were employed following safe recruitment practices which ensured they had not been deemed unsuitable to work with vulnerable adults. Staff had been trained to administer medicines safely. People’s abilities to self-medicate were assessed and people were supported to take their medicines safely.

Staff completed a range of training which equipped them with the skills and abilities to carry out their roles effectively. Staff received effective support, supervision and guidance. Staff gained people’s consent before care and treatment was provided. The service worked in-line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act. People were encouraged to eat a healthy balanced diet. People were supported to have sufficient to eat and drink to meet their needs. When concerns with people’s dietary intake were identified appropriate action was taken. Referrals to other health care professionals were made effectively.

People were supported by caring staff who understood their needs and delivered care and support in line with their preferences. The service put an emphasis on caring for people in a dignified way. Staff treated people with dignity and respect at all times. Staff understood the importance of confidentiality and ensured people’s private and personal information was not shared without their consent.

People were involved with the planning and delivery of their care. Reviews were held at regular intervals to enable people to provide feedback on the support they received. The registered provider had a complaints policy in place that was provided to people at the commencement of their service. We saw the service received very few complaints. Staff told us the management team were approachable, supportive and listened to their views regarding developing the service. A quality assurance system was in place to ensure shortfalls in care and support were identified. Audits, questionnaires and spot checks were used to improve the level of service provided.

The registered manager and assistant home care manager in their absence understood their responsibilities to report accidents, incidents and other notifiable incidents to the CQC as required.