Background to this inspection
Updated
19 October 2023
The inspection
We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act). We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements of the regulations associated with the Act and looked at the quality of the service to provide a rating.
Unlike our standard approach to assessing performance, we did not physically visit the office of the location. This is a new approach we have introduced to reviewing and assessing performance of some care at home providers. Instead of visiting the office location we use technology such as electronic file sharing and video or phone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by 1 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.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
Registered Manager
This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 72 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 29 September 2023 and ended on 4 October 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service and reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with 5 people, 6 relatives and 5 staff. We reviewed 4 care records, 4 medicines records, 3 recruitment records and a range of records in relation to the management of the service.
This performance review and assessment was carried out without a visit to the location’s office. We used technology such as telephone calls to enable us to engage with people using the service and staff, and electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation.
Updated
19 October 2023
About the service
Human Support Group Limited - Doncaster is a domiciliary care agency, providing personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection 70 people were using the service. 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
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.
Right Support
Risks posed to people were assessed and mitigated. Staff completed daily records, which evidenced support was provided to people safely. People told us they felt safe. Systems and processes were in place to protect people from the risk of abuse and harm. Medicines were safely managed. Staff were recruited safely and pre-employment checks were in place. Accidents and incidents were monitored, with lessons learned to mitigate risks posed to people.
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.
Right Care
Care plans were person centred and staff had access to these via an online system. However, some care records required updating to reflect people’s current needs and preferences. Staff were trained and knowledgeable about people's support needs. Systems in place to effectively manage complaints or concerns were not always robust. Some people and some staff told us care calls were rushed, this was raised with the registered manager and not effectively resolved. Quality assurance systems were in place. Feedback was sought from people using the service and records evidenced an overall positive experience for people. People and relatives told us staff were kind and caring.
Right Culture
The registered manager and staff team understood their roles and responsibilities. People and relatives told us the service was well led and they could contact the office staff if they required support. Staff told us they felt supported by the registered manager. Staff received regular supervisions, attended regular meetings and staff initiatives were in place. Audit systems were in place, which included staff spot checks, staff interactions with people, infection control, medicines and safeguarding. The provider had overarching governance systems in place and quality checks showed high levels of compliance.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 23 November 2017).
Why we inspected
We undertook this focused inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and Outstanding. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Human Support Group Limited - Doncaster on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
Recommendations
We have made a recommendation the provider reviews their systems for auditing and updating care records.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.