Background to this inspection
Updated
10 April 2020
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 carried out by one inspector.
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 who was registered with the Care Quality Commission. A registered manager 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 provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We reviewed 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 used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We were unable to observe care provision or speak directly with people who received support due to their age, the complex conditions some of them lived with and the circumstances in which they were supported. However, we obtained feedback about the services provided from relatives, health and social care professionals and staff. We spoke with the registered manager and one member of staff.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and various medication records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were also reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at quality assurance records.
Updated
10 April 2020
About the service
Southern Family Care Ltd is a domiciliary agency registered to provide personal care to both older and younger people in their own homes, however at the time of the inspection only three young people under the age of eighteen received the regulated activity of personal care.
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 were unable to express their views about the care and support they received. Relatives and professionals were very positive about the care provided. We were told that staff were kind, friendly and attentive to people’s needs. Relatives told us there were enough staff to meet people’s needs. Staff felt that there were enough of them to meet people’s needs in a person-centred way. Staff were trained and felt well supported.
Relatives said that people felt safe and staff were aware of how to promote people’s safety. Regular checks were in place to ensure staff worked in accordance with training and health and safety guidance adhered to. Relatives and professionals told us that staff always put people’s safety and welfare first.
There were governance systems in place and these were being used effectively and regularly.
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.
People and their relatives were involved in planning their care. There were no complaints but there was a system in place to ensure they were responded to appropriately should one be raised. Feedback was sought through meetings and relatives told us the registered manager was always available to talk if needed.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 29 July 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
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.