Background to this inspection
Updated
9 June 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.
This was a focussed inspection to check whether the provider had met the requirements of the requirement notice in relation to Regulation 12 (Safe care and treatment) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection team consisted of an inspector and two Experts 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.
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 a short period notice of the inspection to ensure the registered manager was available to speak with us and to ask service users their permission to contact them.
Inspection activity started on 6 May 2021 and ended on 20 May 2021. We visited the office location on 6 May 2021.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required 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. We also reviewed the action plan the provider had submitted following our last inspection. We received positive feedback from a local authority. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
During our visit to the service office we reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s care records and risk assessments. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment, training and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were emailed to us and reviewed. We spoke with the registered manager. The Experts by Experience spoke with eight people who used the service and four relatives, on the ‘phone.
After the inspection
We spoke with five care workers on the phone. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.
Updated
9 June 2021
About the service
Grace 24/7 Care is a domiciliary care service that provides care and support to adults in their own homes. Not everyone who used the service received 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
People received the support they needed to keep them safe and well. Staff used risk assessments and care plans to support people with their individual care needs. These were up to date and reviewed regularly.
Staff complied with good infection control practices when supporting people, such as wearing the correct personal protective equipment (PPE). People received their medicines safely. The service had made the required improvements in this area since our last inspection.
People and their relatives gave positive feedback about the service. People told us they received support from a regular team of staff, who were kind, helpful and well-trained. The service promoted person-centred care and had an open and honest culture.
People received support that gave them maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
The registered manager used a range of governance systems to assess and monitor the quality of the service. Staff told us they were happy in their jobs and felt supported by the registered manager.
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
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of this service in January 2020. A breach of regulation 12 (safe care and treatment) was found in relation to the management of medicines. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve.
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 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 Grace 24/7 Care 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.