Right at Home Eastbourne

Updated 23 June 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 was announced. We gave the service 48 hours' notice of the inspection visit because we needed to be sure there would be staff available in the office.

Before the inspection, we checked the information held regarding the service and provider. This included any statutory notifications sent to us by the service. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send to us by law. We also reviewed the Provider Information Report. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what they do well and improvements they plan to make.

The inspection visits to the office were carried out on 17 and 25 May 2018 by an inspector. During the inspection we spoke with five staff members, including the registered and deputy manager. We met with the providers and a compliance manager from the Right at Home national head office. This national office provides support and systems to the providers who set up businesses under their brand name.

We spent time reviewing records, which included three support plans that included medication administration records, staff rotas, training records and three recruitment files. Other documentation related to the management of the service such as policies and procedures, compliments, accidents and incidents and quality assurance records were viewed.

Following the inspection an expert by experience spoke with seven people on the telephone and four relatives of people receiving a service to gain their views on the care and support provided. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. The inspector also visited two people with their relatives in their own homes with a staff member to gain their experiences of care provided and to review any relevant documentation. We were also able to view support provided and interactions between people and staff. In addition, we contacted two health care professionals who shared their views on the service.

This was Right at Home Eastbourne’s first inspection with the Care Quality Commission.

Updated 23 June 2018

Right at Home Eastbourne is a domiciliary care agency (DCA) and it provides personal care to people living in their own homes. It provides a service to support people who require a range of personal and care support related to personal hygiene, mobility, nutrition and continence. Some people were living with early stages of a dementia type illness or other long-term health related condition. Most people lived reasonably independent lives but required support to maintain this independence. Right at Home Eastbourne also provides 'live-in' support for people who want care staff available throughout the day and night. At the time of this inspection the service provided personal care to 15 people. This is the first inspection of the service.

Feedback that we received from people and their representatives about staff and the service was very positive. People who used the service felt they were treated with kindness and said their privacy and dignity was respected. Staff had a good understanding of legislation designed to protect people's rights and were clear that people had the right to make their own choices. Comments included, “I am very happy with everything, the staff are wonderful,” and “The staff could not be more accommodating, they laugh and chat and are very friendly and kind.” People and their relatives told us they would recommend the service to friends and relatives.

Staff were fully involved and committed to achieving the service's values and vision. The service had systems to monitor and review the quality of the care provided. People told us they had continuity of carers. They said staff always arrived on time and stayed for their allocated time. They told us staff always completed the tasks required of them along with any additional requests. People were supported by staff who demonstrated kindness, compassion and courtesy.

Staff knew people well and were well matched to the people they supported in terms of personalities and interests. They understood people's physical, social and emotional needs. Staff had a good understanding of the procedures to follow to safeguard people from the risk of abuse. An emphasis was placed on ensuring recruitment was thorough and there were enough staff employed with the right skills to meet people’s needs.

Risk assessments were carried out in relation to people's homes and to their individual needs and actions were taken to mitigate any risks identified. Medicines were handled safely by staff who had been trained to do so.

Spot checks were carried out to monitor staff performance. Staff attended regular training to ensure they could meet people's needs. There was a thorough induction to the service and staff felt confident to meet people's needs before they worked independently. Staff felt supported by the managers and providers and could visit the office to discuss any matter that they wished. Staff told us they felt supported, listened to and valued.

The registered manager and providers had a good understanding of their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The MCA and DoLS are regulations that have to be followed to ensure people who cannot make decisions for themselves are protected. They also ensured people were not having their freedom restricted or deprived unnecessarily.

Care plans provided comprehensive information about how people wished to receive care and support. These were reviewed and updated and reflected a person-centred approach to care. People were asked for their view on the service and support they received and were aware how to make a complaint. There was an open and positive culture at the service where people, relatives and staff felt listened to.