Background to this inspection
Updated
26 July 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 to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team:
This inspection was carried out by 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.
Service and service type:
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes 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:
The inspection took place on 8 July 2019 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours' notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure the provider or the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. Inspection activity started on 4 July and ended on 12 July 2019. We visited the office location on 8 July 2019.
What we did before the inspection:
We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information we require providers 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.
During the inspection:
We visited the office and spoke with the registered manager and the quality assurance manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included four people's care records and four staff files as well as other records relating to how the service was managed.
After the inspection:
We spoke three members of staff, nine people and their relatives of people who used the service.
Updated
26 July 2019
About the service:
Mercury Care Services is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. At the present time it provides a service for thirty people. Not everyone using the service receives 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:
The provider had reviewed their medicines policy and procedure and all staff received appropriate training. This meant people received their medicines safely and staff had clear guidance to follow, informed by models of best practice.
Comprehensive risk assessments and risk management strategies were in place as part of the assessment and support planning process. This meant risks to people and to staff were minimised.
People were protected from the risk of abuse. The service had safeguarding procedures in place that staff were well aware of. Staff received training on safeguarding people.
There were robust recruitment practices in place and sufficient staff levels to meet people’s needs.
Accidents, incidents and risks were appropriately recorded and included details of preventive strategies used by the service to reduce the likelihood of events occurring in the future.
People's nutritional needs were met and where people required support with nutrition, care plans provided staff with guidance on people's support needs.
Services were delivered in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and staff sought consent prior to providing care and offered people choices to encourage people to make their own decisions.
People were supported to have healthier lives. Staff assisted them to access health professionals when needed to ensure their health and well-being was monitored.
People told us they benefitted from caring relationships with the staff.
People were treated as individuals by staff committed to respecting people's individual preferences. Care plans were person centred and people were actively involved in developing their support plans.
The provider had systems in place to ensure concerns and complaints were responded to in an appropriate way.
The service had systems in place to notify the appropriate authorities where concerns were identified. The culture of the service was positive, open and person centred.
The service was well led by the registered manager who was keen to employ innovative ways of working to develop the service. There were effective systems in place to monitor the quality of the service provided to people which ensured good governance.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update:
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 10 July 2018) with two breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
Why we inspected:
This was a planned inspection in line with our inspection schedule. We found the service met the characteristics of a "Good" rating in all areas.
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.