Background to this inspection
Updated
6 June 2019
The inspection:
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.
Inspection team:
The inspection was carried out by one inspector. We started the inspection on 21 March 2019 at the registered office. We made telephone calls to people who had consented to this on 04 April 2019.
Service and service type:
This service is a domiciliary care agency that provides care services to people in their own homes. Not everyone using the service receives a regulated activity of 'personal care.' CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’.
The service had a registered manager in post. This means that they are registered with the Care Quality Commission and with the registered provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
What we did:
Before visiting the service, we looked at previous inspection reports and information sent to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) through notifications. Notifications are information we receive when a significant event happens, like a death or a serious injury. We also looked at information sent to us by the registered manager through the Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR contains 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 reviewed information from four people's care plans. We also looked at a variety of different sources of information relating to people, such as; risk assessments. In addition, we looked at; feedback surveys, staff rotas, training records, recruitment files, medicine administration records, complaints and accident logs.
We gathered people’s experiences of the service by telephoning them. We received feedback from two people. We also spoke with the registered manager and two members of staff. We asked for feedback from four external health care professionals about the service.
Updated
6 June 2019
About the service: This service provides personal care to people living at home. This included older people and younger adults some of whom were living with dementia, learning disabilities and mental health illness. There were 20 people receiving personal care.
People’s experience of using this service:
People and their relatives told us “The introduction to my mother’s care was excellent and care of very good quality since commencing.” “The carers are always polite, well mannered and caring.” “We know that we can count on White cross care staff and to help.” “White cross care have been looking after my relative for a few years now and the standard of care is excellent.”
People told us they felt safe with staff. Staff were trained to safeguard people and understood how to protect people from harm.
Medicines were administered safely by trained staff.
People’s needs were assessed and written in a care plan. The care plans were consistently updated. People told us that staff were caring towards them.
The care offered was inclusive and based on policies about Equality, Diversity and Human Rights.
Staff were aware of their responsibility to assist people to maintain their health and wellbeing.
People told us they were listened to by the management of the service. A system of responding to complaints was in place.
Background checks were made on new staff and staff were supervised to maintain the standards of care. Staff were deployed in the right numbers to meet people's needs and choices.
Staff received a training ongoing training based on people’s needs.
Systems were in place so that incidents and accidents were investigated reduce the risks of these happening again.
Management systems were in use to minimise the risks from the spread of infection. For example, staff were provided with disposable gloves.
People, their relatives and staff had the opportunity to share their views about the service.
The service could continue to run in the event of emergencies arising so that people’s care would continue.
The service was not providing end of life care at the time of this inspection.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
Rating at last inspection:
At our last inspection on 21 September 2016, (The last inspection report was published on 06 September 2016), we gave the service a ‘Good’ rating. At this inspection in March 2019 the overall rating of the service has been maintained as ‘Good’.
Why we inspected:
This was a comprehensive inspection scheduled based on the previous rating.
Follow up:
We will continue to monitor the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk