Home Instead Senior Care

Updated 5 November 2019

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors 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.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

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 26/09/19 and ended on 02/10/19. We visited the office location on 30/09/19.

What we did before 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. 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. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people who used the service and seven relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the registered manager, senior care givers and care givers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We spoke with three professionals who regularly visit the service.

Updated 5 November 2019

About the service

Home Instead Senior Care is a care at home service providing personal care to 33 people at the time of the inspection across the Cannock, Rugeley and Burntwood area, some of whom were living with dementia.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

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

People were supported by genuinely kind and caring staff who placed them at the heart of their care. Staff were safely recruited and were matched with the people they supported based on their hobbies and preferences to support people to feel comfortable and share experiences. Staff knew people really well and spent time with people to understand their backgrounds, preferences and goals.

People had exceptionally personalised risk assessments which gave staff comprehensive and clear guidance for staff to follow. Staff received comprehensive training which was led by the needs of the people they supported and reviewed regularly by professionals. The registered manager sought additional training to ensure people’s changing needs were consistently understood and met by the staff that supported them.

Professionals working with the service gave overwhelmingly positive feedback about the care.

There was a positive culture of learning and going ‘above and beyond’ at the service. Staff felt able to speak to the registered manager and we received consistently positive feedback about their approach. The registered manager reviewed the quality of the service with a drive to improve people's experience of care and strive for excellence. People’s records were effectively reviewed in real time to identify areas of risk and to ensure the service prevented rather than responded to accidents and incidents.

People were supported by knowledgeable staff who understood how to safeguard people from potential abuse and harm. People received their medicines by trained staff as they were prescribed. People's needs were assessed prior to and during their support by the management team.

People were supported to eat and drink based on their preferences and needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

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 this service was good (Published 11 October 2016)

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.