Grove Care Agency Limited

Updated 16 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.

Inspection team

This inspection was undertaken by two inspectors.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

The service had a manager registered with CQC. 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 announced the inspection the morning of the site visit. 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.

Inspection activity started on 18 May 2021 and ended on 19 May 2021. We visited the office location on 18 May 2021.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

During the inspection

We spoke to the registered manager and two support workers. We reviewed the person’s care records, records relating to staff and management records, including policies and procedures.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 16 June 2021

About the service

Grove Care Agency is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to one person at the time of this inspection. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. Care Quality Commission (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

Staff were knowledgeable about the person they supported. They understood the level of support the person required and how this support was to be provided. They were aware of risks to their health, safety and wellbeing and who to contact for support should they be concerned about the person’s mental health.

However, care records were sparse and did not contain information in line with staff’s knowledge. If a new member of staff was to support the person there was a risk they would not have access to appropriate detailed information about risk management and the person’s support needs because this was not adequately recorded.

Safe recruitment practices were not in place meaning there was a risk that people were supported by staff that did not have the skills, experience and competency to undertake their duties. The provider had not obtained two suitable references and an up to date disclosure and barring service check prior to employment

Whilst staff told us they had received training and were well supported in their roles, we were not provided with documented evidence to support the completion of training. Supervision sessions were informal and not documented. Therefore, we could not be assured that there were adequate systems in place regarding staff support.

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. The person receiving care was involved in decision making and staff listened to how they wished to be supported. Staff knew how to support people to meet their specific needs in relation to protected characteristics defined by the Equality Act 2010.

Staff provided any additional support with meal preparation, access to healthcare appointments and medicines appointments in line with the person’s wishes.

Systems were in place regarding incident management, safeguarding adults and complaints.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection:

This service was registered with us on 10/10/2018 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

The provider confirmed they had started providing personal care to a person from February 2021. This inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about the quality of documentation submitted when the provider confirmed they were operating. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

Enforcement

We have identified breaches in relation to good governance, staffing and recruitment at this inspection.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.