Archived: Bronte Care Services

Updated 10 January 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 two inspectors and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of service.

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 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 the service notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. Inspection activity started on 4 December 2019 and ended on 6 December 2019. On 5 December 2019 we visited the office to review documentation relating to people’s care and the management of the service. Between 4 December and 6 December 2019, we made phone calls to people who used the service, their relatives and staff.

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 commissioning teams who work with the service. 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 used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with six people who used the service and seven relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 14 members of staff including the registered manager, care coordinator and support workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included six people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

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

Updated 10 January 2020

About the service

Bronte Care Services is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes and flats. At the time of the inspection the service was providing personal care to 61 people.

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

Most people, relatives and staff told us the service had improved since the last inspection. People and relatives were generally happy with call times and said they were normally supported by the same staff. Staff confirmed there had been improvements, which included how runs were coordinated and planned.

Recruitment was not always managed safely. We identified not all the required pre-employment checks had been carried out to ensure people were safe.

The provider had introduced a range of new electronic systems to improve the quality of the service. Audit and checking systems needed refining to ensure they were appropriate to monitor this new system.

Staff were knowledgeable about people and the topics we asked them about. They received training to carry out their role. The registered manager had introduced a programme of supervision and appraisal to ensure staff were fully supported in their role.

People’s care needs were assessed, and they received person centred care from staff who knew them well. People’s care plans had been recently reviewed. They received appropriate support with their nutrition and health needs. The way people’s medicines were managed had been improved.

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. Staff encouraged people to make decisions about their own care, and promoted people’s rights to dignity, independence and privacy.

The registered manager had introduced a range of quality checks and audits. They had increased the size of the management team and initiated a range of changes which had led to positive outcomes for people and staff. The registered manager was committed to the ongoing improvement of the service.

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: The last rating for this service was inadequate (published 7 September 2019) There were multiple breaches of regulations and the service was placed in Special Measures. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Enforcement

We have identified breaches in relation to safe recruitment. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report

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.