The inspection was announced and took place on 10 January 2018.Attleborough is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses in the community. It provides personal care to people with a variety of needs including older people, younger adults, people with a learning disability, physical disability and people who need support with their mental health. At the time of the inspection, 120 people were using the service.
Not everyone using Attleborough receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. Eighty-three people were being provided with ‘personal care’.
Attleborough was registered by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on 27 June 2016. New services are assessed to check they are likely to be safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. This was the first comprehensive inspection since the provider registered with CQC to provide personal care to people. As such, they had not yet received a CQC rating.
There was a registered manager in post. 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People were protected from abuse. Staff followed the provider’s safeguarding procedures to identify and report concerns to people’s well-being and safety.
Appropriate risk management systems were in place. Staff followed the guidance in place to support people's safely in line with the risks identified to each person’s health and well-being.
People were supported by a sufficient number of staff who underwent appropriate recruitment checks.
People received the support they required to take their medicines. Staff knew how to minimise the risk of infection.
Appropriate systems were in place to enable staff to report and learn from incidents that may happen at the service. Staff had access to out of hours’ guidance for additional support when responding to an emergency or difficult situation.
Staff received support, regular supervision and attended training to enable them to undertake their roles effectively. People were involved in the planning and review of their care. Staff delivered people’s care in line with their changing needs, preferences and best practice guidance.
People were encouraged to maintain a healthy diet and to have sufficient food to eat and drink. Staff supported people to access healthcare services when required.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff sought people’s consent before providing care and treatment.
People received care in a manner that treated them with respect and promoted their privacy and dignity. Staff developed positive relationships with the people they supported and offered emotional support when needed.
People and staff commended the registered manager and their care provision. People received person-centred care and benefitted from an open and transparent culture.
People were confident about making a complaint and had received information about how to make their concerns known. The registered manager sought people’s views about the service and acted on their feedback.
The quality of care was checked and monitored regularly. The registered manager made improvements when necessary to develop the service. There was collaboration between the registered manager and other agencies to enhance the quality of care provided to people.