Helping Hands Team

Updated 6 February 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

This inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

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

This inspection was announced, this was to ensure someone would be in the office to assist us with the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 14 January 2020 when we phoned people using the service, where they were unable to speak with us we spoke with people’s relatives. We then visited the office location on 16 January 2020 where we spoke with the provider and looked through records. We made phone calls to staff on 21 January 2020.

What we did before the inspection

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. However, we gave the provider the opportunity to share with us information and this was included as part of the inspection. We looked at other information received from the provider, such as statutory notifications about events the provider must notify us about. We took all the information into account when we inspected the service and making the judgements in this report.

During the inspection

We spoke with one person and four relatives prior to visiting the agency offices. We reviewed the care records for two people using the service, and other records relating to the management oversight of the service, such as staff training and medication records, staff rotas, incident recording and complaints.

Following the inspection

We made phone calls to four staff employed by the service and continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. The information which the provider sent has been used in the report.

Updated 6 February 2020

Retford Enterprise Centre, also known as Helping Hands, is registered as a domiciliary care agency providing the regulated activity ‘personal care’ to people who live in their own homes in Retford and surrounding areas. At the time of the inspection visit there were 14 people using the service.

CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and nutrition. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People and their relatives told us they or their relative felt safe when receiving care and support. Staff were aware of measures to take to prevent and control the spread of infection. There was a procedure to record and monitor any accidents/incidents which may occur, none had occurred in the last twelve months.

People were supported by a small group of staff who knew them well, and so allowing relationships to develop. The person gave positive feedback about the caring staff team.

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 were trained to support people with their individual needs.

People knew about the complaints process and knew the process to follow if they had concerns.

People were treated with kindness, respect and staff involved them in decisions about their care.

The service was well-led. The provider had ensured that safe recruitment, governance and quality assurance procedures had been fully established. The provider continued to develop the agency and planned changes well in advance.

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

Rating at last inspection

The agency was rated as Good at the last inspection in June 2017.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating inspection.

We have found the provider needs to make improvements. You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.