Amari Care Services

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. 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 was carried out by one inspector. An Expert by Experience telephoned people using the service and relatives across two days following our visit to the office.

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 care and support to 59 people living in their own homes.

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 registered manager a short notice announcement of our visit to the office. This was to ensure someone would be available to assist us with the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 23 January 2020 and ended on 28 January 2020. We visited the office location on 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. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 14 people who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with three members of staff including the registered manager and care staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included six 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.

Updated 26 February 2020

About the service

Amari Care Services is a domiciliary care service providing care to people in their own homes. 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. At the time of inspection, the service was providing personal care to 59 people.

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

People told us that they received care from a regular group of carers they knew well and that they arrived on time and never missed visits. This confirmed there were enough staff employed to meet people’s needs. People told us the staff were friendly, kind and that they knew them well.

People were actively involved in the planning of their care, the way they wanted this delivered and in deciding when and what time staff should visit them. People were asked for their feedback in a number of ways and people told us they felt the service would listen to them if they had any concerns.

People told us they felt safe when the carers visited them. Risk assessments were carried out and measures were in place guiding staff on how to reduce any identified risks. People who required support to maintain good nutrition and hydration told us they received the support they needed.

The service worked well with other agencies to ensure people had a comfortable, pain free death and could remain in their own home as per their wishes. Information about people’s preferences was documented.

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 told us staff asked for their consent before carrying out tasks and were respectful of their home.

People told us the service helped them stay as independent as possible. People said staff only carried out tasks they were unable to manage themselves, with their agreement.

Where required, the service liaised with other healthcare professionals to ensure people received joined up care.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service provided.

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 14 July 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.