Background to this inspection
Updated
9 November 2019
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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by two inspectors 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 houses and flats. The service also provides care and support to people living in seven ‘supported living’ houses, so that they can live as independently as possible.
People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 24 September 2019 and ended on 26 September 2019. We visited the office location on 24 September 2019.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought 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
We spoke with 14 people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with eight members of staff by telephone. At the office we met with the finance manager, the operations manager, a risk assessor/trainer and an administrator. We visited two supported living houses and spoke with four support staff and observed interaction between people and staff.
We reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s care records, care review records, medication records and audits and records relating to the management of the service. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision.
Updated
9 November 2019
About the service
Allcare is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to 78 people living in their own houses and flats in the Southport area of Merseyside. The service also provides care and support to 14 people living in ‘supported living’ houses in the Manchester and Greater Manchester areas. People had different support arrangements. Some people lived alone with staff; others lived with up to three other people with staff support on a 24-hour basis.
People using the service were of different ages and included those with a learning disability and/or autism, as well as people living with dementia or other health and care needs.
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.
The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People and family members spoke positively about the service and told us staff were professional, helpful and kind. Positive relationships had been developed between staff and people they supported. People said calls to their home were never missed and that staff usually arrived on time. Everyone said they would recommend Allcare to others.
People using the service and staff were involved in the development of their care through regular reviews meetings and surveys. The latest survey showed that people were satisfied with their care. People told us they either had no complaints or were confident they would be listened to if they did.
Most of the management team completed quality audits on a monthly basis and we saw that actions were identified and addressed to bring about improvements. However, we found that this was not consistently completed across all of the service. Not all of the people who received a service from Allcare were offered the opportunity to provide feedback on their service.
We have made a recommendation about quality assurance practices.
People’s care records provided detailed information about individual backgrounds and their support needs, to guide staff effectively. The service worked with a variety of professionals to maintain people’s health and wellbeing.
Staff had been recruited safely. There were sufficient numbers of staff employed to support people. Vacant shifts and calls because of absence were covered from within the staff teams. Agency staff were not used. Staff received regular training and support. Staff told us they enjoyed working for the service; however, recent issues related to delayed payment of wages and pension had impacted on their morale.
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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 24/03/2017). Since this rating was awarded the registered provider of the service has altered its legal entity. We have used the previous rating to inform our planning and decisions about the rating at this inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.