Gentle Hands Care Agency Ltd

Updated 26 February 2020

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience who made telephone calls to people and their family carers to get feedback on the service. 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. This service also provides care and support to people living in six ‘supported living’ settings, 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 it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 20 January 2020 and ended on 23 January 2020. We visited the office location and one of the supported living services on 20 January 2020, phone calls took place on 22 and 23 January 2020.

What we did before the inspection:

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. 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.

During the inspection:

We spoke with three people who used the service. We also spoke with the registered manager, the director, the field care co-ordinator and the staff member responsible for recruitment. We also spoke with three care staff.

We reviewed recruitment records for three staff members, training and supervision records. We checked complaints, accidents and incidents, quality assurance processes and safeguarding records. We also looked at five people’s care records.

We received feedback from one health and social care professional on the day of the inspection.

After the inspection:

We asked for additional information regarding training, one person’s recruitment records, and quality assurance documents. We also spoke with 13 family carers to get their feedback on the service.

Updated 26 February 2020

About the service:

Gentle Hands Care Agency Limited is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses. The service also provides care and support to 15 people living in six ‘supported living’ settings.

People supported by the organisation have a range of physical and mental health needs and people who have a learning disability. At the time of our inspection the service was providing care to 25 people.

The supported living 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 the service

People and their relatives were happy with the service and told us staff were kind to them, and understood their needs. Care was provided by staff who had worked on a consistent basis with people which contributed to a good quality service.

Risk assessments were in place to provide guidance to staff and care support plans were comprehensive and up to date. People were safeguarded against the risks of abuse and harm by the systems and by the staff. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and provide responsive care.

Safe recruitment practices took place so staff were considered appropriate to work with vulnerable people. Staff received training and supervision for their role.

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.

People were supported to access external health professionals to help promote good health and wellbeing.

There were effective quality assurance processes in place including spot checks of staff and audits of medicines.

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 the service was good (published 4 August 2017).

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.