Lifelong Home Care Services Limited

Updated 16 May 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 11 April 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

The inspection site visit activity started on 11 April 2018 and ended on 13 April 2018. It included contacting people who used the service, relatives and care workers over the phone. We visited the office location on 11 April 2018 to see the registered manager and office staff. We also reviewed care records and policies and procedures.

This inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector.

Before the inspection we looked at information that we had received about the service and any formal notifications that the service had sent to the CQC. We looked at four care plan records and risk assessments, five staff files personnel records and other documented information related to the management of the service.

During our inspection we spoke with two people who used the service, two relatives and two care workers. We also spoke with the registered manager and the nominated individual.

Updated 16 May 2018

This inspection of Lifelong Home Care Services Limited was announced and took place on 11 and 13 April 2018. This was the first inspection of Lifelong Home Care Services Limited since registering with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in April 2017.

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

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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.

We found that staff had been recruited safely. The staff we spoke with were aware of how to safeguard adults at risk and how recognise and report abuse. A small and consistent team of care workers supported people. This ensured that people knew their care workers well and felt comfortable with them providing personal care at their home. Relatives confirmed they were happy with the care workers who supported their family members.

People received care that reflected their needs, risks and preferences. Staff had received appropriate training and support from their line manager. Relatives said that staff had the knowledge and skills to meet people's needs. Where required, people received support with eating and drinking. All people had capacity to make independent decisions. Staff told us if people lacked the capacity to make decisions about their care, they would consult with relatives, friends or social services. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way. The policies and systems at the service supported this practice.

Staff respected people's privacy and dignity and encouraged them to be as independent as possible. Where appropriate, relatives had been consulted about people's care and were updated by staff regularly. The service ensured that people’s requests for particular care workers to match people’s cultural background was respected.

Care records were detailed and person centred and reflected people’s needs, likes and dislikes. Since registering with the CQC, the service did not receive any formal complaints. People who used the service and relatives told us that they would raise concerns with the registered manager.

The service had a registered manager in post. People who use the service, relatives and care workers told us they were happy with how the service was being managed. The registered manager had sought regular feedback from the people supported, relatives and staff about the care and support provided. A high level of satisfaction had been expressed about most areas of the service. Audits were completed and were effective in ensuring that appropriate levels of quality and safety were maintained at the service.