Updated 13 February 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 team consisted of 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. Our expert by experience had personal experience of using and caring for someone who used domiciliary care services.
Service and service type: This service provides care to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought or rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care service.
Sanctuary Home Care Ltd - Basildon is a domiciliary care service. 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 six days’ notice of the inspection because we needed to send letters to people letting them know that an expert by experience may be calling to speak to them about their views of the service.
Inspection activity started on 9 January 2019 and ended on 16 January 2019. It included making telephone calls to people who used the service to gather their feedback. We visited the office location on 15 January 2019 to see the registered manager and staff, and to review care records and policies and procedures.
Prior to the inspection, we reviewed the information we held about the service since their last inspection. This included any notifications received from the provider about deaths, accidents/incidents and safeguarding alerts which they are required to send us by law. The provider had not completed a Provider Information Return (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) as one had not been requested.
We looked at the care plans for five people. Records relating to the administration and management of medicines, four staff recruitment files, incidents, accidents, complaints, and the quality assurance process were also checked to ensure they met the Regulations.
During the inspection, we spoke with nine people who used the service and one relative. We met with three care staff and the registered manager, who were available and very helpful throughout the inspection.
We requested additional evidence to be sent to us after our inspection. This was received in the timescales given and the information was used as part of our inspection.