Background to this inspection
Updated
7 August 2021
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 completed by two inspectors and an Expert by Experience who spoke with people on the telephone. 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.
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 service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. We also needed consent from people using the service to receive a telephone call to give their feedback about the agency.
Inspection activity started on 14th July 2021 and ended on 16th July 2021. We visited the office location on 15th July 2021.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with nine people who used the service and eight relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager and three care staff.
We viewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and medicine records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including quality assurance records, records relating to the management of the service and policies and procedures.
Updated
7 August 2021
About the service
Retons Care and Training Services Ltd is a domiciliary agency providing care and support to people in their own homes. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (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 the inspection they were providing personal care to 23 people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People spoke highly of the care and support they received from staff. Comments included, “I am very happy with the service provided” and, “They’re doing a marvellous job.”
Staff followed detailed guidance to reduce potential risks posed to people to keep them safe. Staff were recruited safely, and systems were in place to inform people if staff were running late. People told us care staff had never missed a care call.
People told us they had built a relationship with their care staff who knew how to meet their needs. Staff knew how to protect people from the potential risk of harm and abuse. Staff had been trained and understood the action to take if they had suspicions.
Medicines were managed safely, and people received their medicines as prescribed. Medicine records were audited monthly by a member of the management team. Care plans were individualised and contained detailed guidance infirming staff how the person wanted their needs met.
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. Checks were made to ensure people had the legal authority to sign on other people’s behalf.
Staff had been trained to meet people’s needs and felt supported in their role. Staff attended regular team meetings giving them the opportunity to raise any concerns or to make suggestions.
Systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service people received. People were asked for their views and changes were implemented promptly to improve the service.
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 29 August 2019) and there were multiple 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
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of this service on 18 and 23 July 2019. Breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve Regulation 12 (Safe Care and Treatment), Regulation 11 (Need for Consent) and Regulation 17 (Good Governance).
We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe, Effective, Responsive and Well-led which contain those requirements.
The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions not looked at on this occasion were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Retons Care and Training Service Ltd on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
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.