We carried out a review of the data available to us about Share the Care Limited Office on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Share the Care Limited Office, you can give feedback on this service.
Share the Care Limited is a domiciliary care agency which provides personal care and support for people living in their own homes. The agency provides care for people in Queenborough area of Isle of Sheppey. This includes older people, people with a learning disability, mental illness, complex needs and people with a physical disability. Not everyone using the service receives a regulated activity of 'personal care.' CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and administration of medicines. Where they do, we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection, the service was providing personal care to 14 people.
At the last inspection, the service was rated Require Improvement. At this inspection, we found the service to be Good.
The service was last inspected on 20 June 2017 when it was given an overall rating of Requires Improvement. At that time, we found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. This was with regards to the provider failing to operate an effective quality assurance system to ensure they assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the services provided. We also made two recommendations. These were in regard to risk assessments, failure to identify people's specific health and care needs, their mental health needs, medicines management, and a failure to follow robust recruitment procedures to make sure that only suitable staff were employed and the promotion of communication with staff.
We asked the provider to send us a plan of action which they returned in the agreed timetable, setting out what they would do to meet legal requirements in relation to the breach. The provider told us that the breach of regulation would be met by the November 2017. We undertook this inspection to check that they had followed their plan and to confirm that they now met legal requirements. At this inspection on 17 July 2018, we found improvements had been made in all areas and the provider was meeting the regulations.
There were two registered managers at the service. The registered managers were also the providers. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
Risks were appropriately assessed and mitigated to ensure people were safe. Medicines were managed safely and people had received their medicines as prescribed.
Staff knew what they should do to identify and raise safeguarding concerns. The registered managers knew their responsibilities in relation to keeping people safe from harm.
Effective systems were in place to enable the providers to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service. Accident and incident records were closely monitored, actions were taken in a timely manner to ensure lessons were learnt.
People were happy with their care and support. Staff had built up good relationships with people.
The service provided good quality care and support to people enabling them to live as fulfilled and meaningful lives as possible.
Staff were caring and kind in their approach and had a good rapport with people. People told us they were treated with dignity and respect. People’s privacy was respected.
People were asked about their needs relating to culture, race, religion and sexual orientation in the care plan. This was recorded and staff were aware of this.
There were enough staff deployed to meet people’s needs. The provider continued to operate a safe and robust recruitment and selection procedure to make sure staff were suitable and safe to work with people. Staff received training, which included safeguarding, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and infection control. They also received support and supervision to enable them to carry out their roles safely.
People were encouraged to make their own choices about everyday matters. People’s decisions and choices were respected.
People's care plans clearly detailed their care and support needs. People and their relatives were fully involved with the care planning process. The service had developed care plans which clearly detailed people’s preferences, likes, dislikes, mental health and social needs. Care had been delivered in line with people’s choices. The registered manager reviewed each person’s care with each person on a monthly basis. People were encouraged and supported to engage with activities that met their needs.
People were supported and encouraged to have a varied and healthy diet which met their health needs.
People were supported and helped to maintain their health and to access health services when they needed them. The registered managers and staff maintained good communication with other organisations such as the community nursing service, GP and other healthcare services.
People and their relatives were given information about how to complain. People and their relatives were actively involved in improving the service. They completed feedback surveys and had regular meetings with the providers.
Staff were positive about the support they received from the management team. They felt they could raise concerns and they would be listened to.
The registered managers had built links with other local registered managers and providers who gave support and advice them.
Share the Care Limited is a small domiciliary care agency which provides personal care and support for people living in their own homes. The agency provides care for people in Queenborough area of Isle of Sheppey. This includes older people, people with a learning disability, mental health, complex needs and people with a physical disability At the time of the inspection, the service was providing personal care to 18 people.
There were two registered managers at the service. The registered managers were also the providers. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
The registered managers had no quality assurance systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided. We did not see any audits being undertaken. However, the registered managers was in touch with both staff and people who used the service daily.
The registered managers carried out risk assessments when they visited people for the first time. However, the risk assessments failed to identify people’s specific health and care needs, their mental health needs and medicines management. Risk assessment did not follow stipulated guidelines. We have made a recommendation about this.
Robust recruitment procedures had not been followed to make sure that only suitable staff were employed. There were gaps in documentations as some files had no MOT or car insurance and no education histories with dates for staff. We have made a recommendation about this.
The agency had suitable processes in place to safeguard people from different forms of abuse. Staff had been trained in safeguarding people and in the agency’s whistleblowing policy. They were confident that they could raise any matters of concern with the registered manager, or the local authority safeguarding team.
The agency provided sufficient numbers of staff to meet people’s needs and provide a flexible service.
There were procedures in place and guidance was clear in relation to Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) that included steps that staff should take to comply with legal requirements.
People were supported with meal planning, preparation and eating and drinking. Staff supported people, by contacting the office to alert the registered managers to any identified health needs so that their doctor or nurse could be informed.
People said that they knew they could contact the registered managers at any time, and they felt confident about raising any concerns or other issues. The registered managers carried out spot checks to assess care staff’s work and procedures, with people’s prior agreement. This enabled people to get to know the registered managers.
People said that they knew they could contact the registered managers at any time, and they felt confident about raising any concerns or other issues.
People spoke positively about the way the agency was run. The management team and staff understood their respective roles and responsibilities. Staff told us that the registered manager was very approachable and understanding.
During this inspection, we found a breach of regulations relating to fundamental standards of care. You can see what action we told the providers/registered managers to take at the back of the full version of this report.