Serenity Inmind

Updated 15 February 2019

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.

This inspection took place on 19, 20 and 21 December 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

Inspection site visit activity started on 19 December 2018 when we undertook telephone calls to people and their relatives. We visited the office location on 20 December 2018 to see the manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures. We completed the inspection on 21 December when we undertook telephone calls to staff.

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.

Before the inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service. This included statutory notifications and the Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR 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. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law.

During our inspection we spoke with six people who used the service and four relatives by telephone. We also met with the registered manager, deputy manager, the provider and spoke with three care staff. We reviewed a range of records about people's care and how the service was managed. These included care records for four people, three staff recruitment and training records, quality assurance audits and other records relating to the management of service.

Updated 15 February 2019

This inspection took place on 19,20 and 21 December 2018 and was announced. This was the first inspection of the service since they registered with us.

Serenity Inmind service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults, younger disabled adults and children in and around the Sheffield and Leicester areas. Not everyone using Serenity Inmind 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. At the time of our inspection, there were 20 people using the service.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

People told us they were safe. Staff had good knowledge of how to identify abuse and the action to take if abuse was suspected. Care was planned and delivered to ensure people were protected against avoidable harm. Systems were in place to support the monitoring and analysis of accidents and incidents to reduce the risk of future harm for people.

Staff were recruited safely through the provider's procedures which were consistently applied. Staff arrived on time and stayed for the time allocated. People were cared for by sufficient numbers of trained staff which helped to keep them safe and meet their needs.

People received their medicines safely and were protected from the risk and spread of infection because staff understood their responsibilities in relation to infection control.

People were supported by staff who had received appropriate support and training to meet people's needs. The provider ensured staff were provided with essential and specialist training that matched the needs of the people they supported. Staff received regular support and supervision to ensure they were providing care as planned.

Staff supported people to maintain their health and well-being, including support to ensure they had sufficient to eat and drink. Staff took appropriate action in the event they had concerns or observed changes in people's emotional and physical health.

Staff understood the relevant requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and how it applied to people in their care.

Staff treated people with respect, kindness and compassion. People's individuality was at the centre of how their care was provided. They were fully involved in making decisions about their care. People felt able to express their views and to give feedback on the care they received.

Care plans were developed with people and, where appropriate, their relatives. Records were regularly reviewed to ensure they reflected people's current needs. Staff supported people to reduce the risk of social isolation, to engage in meaningful interactions and be involved in their local community where possible.

People and relatives felt able to express concerns and were clear how to raise complaints and felt confident these would be listened to and acted on.

The provider and registered manager understood what was necessary to provide a quality service and had a variety of systems in place to regular check and monitor the quality of care people received. Further developments were planned to ensure the quality assurance systems were implemented consistently across all areas of the service.