Care World Agency Ltd

Updated 16 February 2018

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.

This announced inspection took place on 1 February 2018. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection because it is small and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

The inspection was undertaken by one inspector and an expert-by-experience (ExE) who made phone calls to people to gather their feedback about the service. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Prior to the inspection we reviewed the information we held about Care World Agency including notifications we had received. Notifications are information about important events the provider is required to tell us about by law. We also reviewed the Provider Information Return (PIR) we received from the provider. PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used this information in the planning of the inspection.

During the inspection the ExE spoke with 12 people using the service, eight relatives, four care staff members and the registered manager. We reviewed six people’s care records which included their medicines administration records (MAR). We looked at five staff files which included recruitment checks, training records and supervision notes; and other records relating to the management and running of the service such as the provider’s quality assurance systems, complaints and compliments. .

After the inspection, we spoke to three care staff to find out how they supported people, and the support they received from the management.

Updated 16 February 2018

The inspection took place on 1 February 2018 and was announced. This was the first inspection of the service since they registered with the CQC in October 2015.

Care World Agency is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. It provides a personal service to both older adults and younger disabled adults. At the time of our inspection 49 people were using the service.

The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Staff knew how to protect people from abuse. Staff understood signs to recognise abuse and how to report suspected abuse. They also knew how to whistle-blow if necessary to protect people. The registered manager assessed risks to people and put management plans in place to mitigate identified risk. Staff were sufficient and adequately deployed to support people with their needs. People received the support they needed to manage their medicines safely. Staff followed procedure to minimise the risk of infection. The service had systems in place to report incidents and accidents and staff knew them. The registered manager reviewed incidents and took action to prevent them from happening again.

The registered manager assessed people’s needs involving them and their relatives. They planned people’s care based on assessed needs and requirements. Staff were supported to do their jobs. They received regular training and supervision. Staff supported people to meet their nutritional needs and requirements. People were supported to access the health care services they needed to maintain their health. The service had systems in place to ensure people received well-coordinated care.

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. Staff and the registered manager understood their roles and responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005. Staff involved people in their care delivery and ensured people consented before they were delivered.

People told us that staff treated them with kindness. Staff respected people’s dignity and privacy. People were encouraged to maintain their independence as much as possible.

Staff supported people in a way which met their individual needs and requirements. The service was flexible in the way they supported and cared for people to ensure their needs were met. Staff understood how to promote the individuality and differences in people. They knew to respect people’s cultural, religious and belief systems.

People knew how to report their concerns or complaints about the service. The registered manager followed the provider’s procedure to address complaints. The registered manager assessed and monitored the quality of service delivered through spot checks, monitoring visits and carrying out audits of records. They used feedback received to improve the service.

The service had a registered manager who was experienced and complied with their registration requirements. The registered manager maintained their registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and liaised with them when necessary to improve the care provided to people. The registered manager also worked in partnership with the local authority to develop the service and meet people’s needs.