Anchor Domiciliary Care

Updated 24 November 2018

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

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because we wanted to be sure that the registered manager and staff were available. Prior to the inspection, we looked at previous inspection reports and notifications about important events that had taken place at the service. We also asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. The provider returned a PIR within the set time scale and the information it contained gave detailed information about the running of the service.

The inspection site visit activity started on 22 October and ended on 24 October. We visited the office location on 22 October. We gained the views of seven people and three relatives. We visited five people in their own homes. On 24 October an expert by experience telephoned two people and three relatives. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. We also received feedback from a care manager and quality lead from the local authority. All feedback was positive about the quality of care and support that people received.

We spoke to the registered manager, service manager, training manager and four care staff. We viewed care records and policies and procedures including seven care plans; the recruitment files of five staff recently employed at the service, staff training records; health and safety records; and quality and monitoring audits.

Updated 24 November 2018

Anchor Domiciliary Care provides a care and support service primarily to people with learning disabilities and autism. At the time of the inspection it was providing support 41 people. The service is a domiciliary care agency and also provides care and support to people living in several 'supported living' settings. A domiciliary care agency provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. Supported living settings enable people to live as independently as possible. In supported living, people’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living or domiciliary care ; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support. Anchor Domiciliary Care also supported people who did not receive a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’’ help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

The service was run by a registered manager and they were present at our visit. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.

At our last inspection on 14 March 2016 we rated the service good. At this inspection on 22 and 24 October we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing 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. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People and their relatives told us they felt safe and comfortable. Staff continued to receive training in how to safeguard people.

Everyone was extremely positive about the range of activities and events on offer. The provider ran clubs for people and offered regular opportunities for people to meet and make friends. People were active, went out in the local area and took part in college courses and work experience.

Staff continued to be available in sufficient numbers and had received the training they required for their role. New staff were checked to make sure they were suitable to work with people.

People were supported to be as independent as possible which included being involved in household activities such as keeping their home clean, meal planning and preparation and doing their laundry.

The provider had acted on professional advice with regards to the management of medicines to make sure people received their medicines as prescribed.

Staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and how to put them into practice.

People were supported to maintain their health, access health services and were given advice about how to eat healthily.

People benefitted by being support by staff who were kind, compassionate and valued people’s contributions. Staff knew people well including their preferences and supported people’s individuality and diversity.

Changes had been made to care plans so that they were more user friendly. Assessments of risk continued to detail how people wished to be supported and staff understood how to follow this guidance to meet people's individual needs and keep them safe.

People had been supported at the end of their lives to have a comfortable death, with people who mattered to them.

The provider had a complaints procedure in place which was written in a format that people could understand. People who used the service and their relative were aware of how to make a complaint.

Staff felt well supported by the management team. People and their relatives said the service was well run. The service worked in partnership with other organisations and sought and acted on their advice to improve outcomes for people. The provider continued to have a quality assurance process in place which included gaining people’s views about the service and how it could be improved.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.