Sussex Homecare (Mid Sussex) Limited

Updated 18 December 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check 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.

A comprehensive inspection was carried out on 14 November 2018 and was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that they would be in.

The inspection team consisted of 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.

We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return (PIR) to complete the inspection report. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We looked at this and other information we held about the service. This included notifications. Notifications are changes, events or incidents that the service must inform us about.

We spoke with four people who used the service and six relatives over the telephone. During the inspection we spoke with three care staff and the registered manager. After the inspection we received feedback from one health and social care professional to gain their views of the service.

We reviewed a range of records about people's care and how the service was managed. These included the care records for eight people, medicine management, staff training, support and employment records, quality assurance audits, incident reports and records relating to the management of the service.

The service was last inspected on the 19 April 2016 and was awarded the rating of Good. At this inspection the service remained Good.

Updated 18 December 2018

Sussex Homecare (Mid Sussex) Limited is a domiciliary care service which provides personal care and support services for a range of people living in their own homes. These included older people and people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection the service was supporting 36 people.

Not everyone using the service received the regulated activity. CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care. This includes tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

We inspected the service on the 15 November 2018 and the inspection was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that they would be in.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence, or information, from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

At the last inspection, there were elements of the safe domain that needed improvement. At this inspection we found that the improvements had been made. Risks relating to people's care were reduced as the provider was ensuring that risks were assessed and managed effectively. People's medicines were now managed safely by staff. Systems were in place to protect people from abuse and staff received training in their responsibilities to safeguard people.

People were supported by staff who had been assessed as suitable to work with them. Staff had the right skills and knowledge to be able to meet people's assessed needs. Staff were supported through training, observations, supervisions and appraisals to help them understand their role and ensure continuous personal development. The provider had ensured that there were enough staff to care for people.

People continued to receive care in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and staff received training on the Act to help them understand their responsibilities in relation to it. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

Staff remained kind and caring and had developed good relationships with people. Relatives told us their family members were cared for by staff and that they were comfortable in staff’s presence.

People’s needs continued to be assessed and person-centred care plans were developed, to identify what care and support was required. People were encouraged to live healthy lives and received food of their choice. People received support with their day to day healthcare needs.

Quality assurance and information governance systems remained in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service. People and staff told us that the service was well-led.