Way Ahead Care LTD

Updated 3 May 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.

As part of this inspection, we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by 3 inspectors, 1 being a pharmacy inspector. Two experts by experience conducted phone call 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, and specialist housing.

This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought or rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.

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 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 16 February 2023 and ended on 2 March 2023 with a feedback session for the registered manager and provider via a teleconference. We visited the location’s office/service on 16 February 2023. We visited people living in three extra care housing scheme with their permission on 24 February 2023.

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 and professionals who work with the service. 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. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

At the beginning of the inspection, we asked the registered manager to share our poster with all people using the service, staff, and relatives to share their views. We asked that posters were displayed within extra care housing schemes to ensure people had an opportunity to speak with us.

When we visited the office, we spoke to the registered manager, the deputy manager, the head of community services, the head of training and other office staff.

We reviewed a range of records, including 9 people’s care plans and risk assessments. We checked 8 people’s medicines records and looked at policies, audits, and arrangements for supporting people with their medicines. We looked at 3 staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision.

Updated 3 May 2023

About the service

Way Ahead Care is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community and specialist housing. It provides a service to older adults, and younger disabled adults. At the time of the inspection approximately 300 people were receiving care in their own homes; the number could vary. 285 people received personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating.

Some people were living in extra care housing. Extra care housing is purpose built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is rented and is the occupant's own home. People's care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people's personal care and support service. Way Ahead Care – Taunton provided care and support from a housing manager and staff to people living in seven specialist 'extra care' housing.

Not everyone using Way Ahead Care - Taunton receives 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.

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

People were supported with their medicines in the way prescribed for them. However, there were some areas for improvement in the way medicines were recorded. We have made a recommendation to ensure the provider complies with current best practice guidance.

People's individual risks were assessed, and measures were put in place to keep them safe. The management team were reviewing care plans and risk assessments to ensure they provided more detailed information for staff to follow.

As a result of staff recruitment issues, agency staff were used to help ensure expected visits were carried out. People said they preferred staff from Way Ahead Care rather than agency staff, but they understand the current pressures within the sector. The management team had recognised this and had put plans in place to recruit and retain more staff. Staff were recruited safely and knew how to keep people safe from harm and abuse.

People felt comfortable and safe with the staff and said staff treated them with dignity and respect. Many people described staff as caring and friendly.

People had plans of care in place which were reviewed with family members and health and care professionals where appropriate.

Safe practices were followed to help prevent the spread of infection including COVID-19.

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.

There were quality checks in place to monitor the quality of services provided. There was a culture of learning from mistakes and the senior management team had an open approach and were keen to provide a good and consistent service.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was good (published 31 July 2018).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service. We received concerns in relation to the management of the service and the management of people’s medicines. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from these concerns. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Way Ahead Care – Taunton on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

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