Humble Healthcare Limited

Updated 21 July 2023

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 conducted by 2 inspectors. An Expert by Experience supported the inspection by making telephone calls to people using the service and their 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.

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 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 were 2 registered managers in post.

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 4 July 2023 and ended on 5 July 2023. We visited the location’s office on 4 July 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We looked at all the information we held about the provider. This included monthly reports they had sent us as part of conditions placed on the service to help us monitor improvements they were making. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection

We met 2 care coordinators (senior office staff) and external consultants who had been working with the provider to help make improvements at the service. We spoke with 8 people who used the service and the relatives of 9 other people on the telephone. We also spoke with 1 of the registered managers and 6 other members of staff on the telephone.

We looked at the care records for 6 people, staff recruitment and support records for 6 members of staff. Information about staff training and meeting minutes. We also looked at other information used by the provider for managing the service. This included audits, records of complaints and quality monitoring information.

Updated 21 July 2023

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

About the service

Humble Healthcare Limited is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection 30 people were using the service and they all received support with personal care. Most people were older adults and adults with physical disabilities. The provider also offered a service to 2 younger adults and a child with learning disabilities.

This is the only branch of this private limited company. The director of the company was also one of the registered managers.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of right support, right care, right culture.

Right Support: The service supported people to have the maximum possible choice, control, and independence. Staff focused on people's strengths and promoted what they could do. People were supported to pursue interests when this was part of their planned care. The staff did everything possible to avoid restraining people. Staff supported people to make decisions about their own care. Staff communicated with people in ways that met their needs. Staff supported people with their medicines in a safe way.

Right Care: Staff promoted equality and diversity in their support of people. Staff understood people's cultural needs and provided culturally appropriate care. People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people's privacy and dignity. Staff understood how to protect people from abuse and poor care. The service worked well with other agencies. The service had enough skilled staff to meet people's needs and to keep them safe. People who had individual ways of communicating were able to interact with staff and make choices. Care plans reflected people's needs and preferences. Staff had assessed the risks people might face and where appropriate, staff encouraged and enabled people to take positive risks.

Right culture: People's values and views were respected. People received good quality care and support. People were supported by staff who understood best practice. Staff knew people well and understood their needs. The agency engaged with people and their families to enable them to contribute their views. There were systems for monitoring and improving the quality of the service.

For more information, please read the detailed findings section of this report. If you are reading this as a separate summary, the full report can be found on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was inadequate (Published 28 March 2023).

The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

This service has been in Special Measures since 16 March 2023. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

Follow up

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