Support at Home

Updated 6 February 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 one inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes in the community.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure the provider or registered manager would be available to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 20 December 2023 and ended on 9 January 2024. We visited the location’s office on 20 December 2023. We contacted people who use the service and staff between 4 January 2024 and 9 January 2024.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since it was registered with us. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection

We spoke with 6 people who received support from the service and 2 people’s relatives. We spoke with the registered manager, deputy manager and 3 members of staff. We contacted 6 staff for their feedback about the service.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 3 people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at 3 staff files in relation to recruitment and training. We also reviewed records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 6 February 2024

About the service

Support at Home is a home care service providing support and personal care to people living in their own homes. The service provides short-term, structured reablement support to help people to regain their independence following an illness, injury, disability or loss of personal networks or social support. The service also provides short-term personal care following a period of reablement. The service is provided in the Eden, South Lakes and Furness districts of Cumbria. At the time of our inspection there were 63 people using the service.

The provider for the service changed to Westmorland and Furness Council following local government reorganisation in Cumbria and the creation of Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. The service was previously carried on by Cumbria County Council.

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

People were safe and protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Risks to people’s safety had been identified and managed. There were enough staff to support people. People received the support they needed to take their medicines safely. People were supported to continue to manage their own medicines, to retain their independence. People were protected from the risk of infection.

People’s needs were assessed before their support was agreed. This helped to ensure the service was suitable to meet their needs. Staff were trained to give them the skills to support people. People received support, as they needed, to maintain a balanced diet. Staff supported people, if required, to contact their doctors. The registered manager and staff were aware of their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and people’s rights were protected. 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 treated people in a kind and caring way. They supported people to regain their independence. Staff asked people for their views and included them in decisions about their support.

Support was planned and provided to meet people’s needs. People were included in setting goals they wanted to achieve. Staff supported people to meet their goals and reviewed their support as the care they needed changed. Staff knew how people communicated and provided information in the way people needed. The provider had a procedure for responding to complaints about the service. Where people raised concerns, the registered manager took action to resolve issues they shared.

People knew the management team and how they could contact them. People valued the support provided and said they would recommend the service. Staff were well supported and able to provide good care to people. The provider and registered manager were aware of their responsibilities under the duty of candour. The service worked cooperatively with other services 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 1 April 2023 and this is the first inspection.

The service was previously carried on by a different provider. The last rating for the service under the previous provider was good (published on 13 March 2018).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.