Background to this inspection
Updated
24 June 2021
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 two experts by experience.
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 three managers 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 48 hours’ notice of the inspection and provided an explanation as to the inspection process. We asked the provider to submit information to CQC to minimise the time spent on site in response to the pandemic.
The inspection activity started on 3 May 2021 and ended on 28 May 2021. We visited the office location on 11 May 2021.
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 professionals who work with the service. 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. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We spoke with seven people who use the service and 22 relatives of people using the service, about their views and experience of the care provided. We spoke with nine members of staff including all three registered managers.
We reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s support plans, policies and procedures, internal management audits, staff supervision and training records and three staff recruitment files. A variety of other records relating to the management of the service were also reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found, such as training records.
Updated
24 June 2021
About the service
Affinity Trust - Domiciliary Care Agency - Central, is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses or flats. This service also provides care and support to people living in 'supported living' settings, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. People's care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people's personal care and support.
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.
At the time of our inspection 120 people were receiving personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were safeguarded from abuse, staff were trained and were aware where and when to escalate safeguarding issues if not dealt with in a timely fashion.
Risks were assessed and care plans were regularly reviewed to ensure people were cared for safely.
Medicines were administered safely and where errors had occurred we saw staff had been re-trained in line with Affinity Trust policies and procedures.
The registered manager circulated information to all managers and senior staff where lessons had been learned and improvements could be made throughout all the Affinity locations in Central Region.
Staff followed infection prevention and control (IPC) best practice, in relation to reducing the risks of transfer of infections, wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and following good hand hygiene. Most staff were aware of the latest information about changing face masks when attending personal care. We advised the registered manager who clarified instruction from the local authority and re-issued staff instructions. Staff had access to enough supplies of PPE equipment. Some relatives felt areas in and around some locations required further staff assistance to ensure they were properly protected.
People and their relatives knew how to raise a complaint and said they would feel confident to do so if needed. Most staff were happy with the support provided by the management team at Affinity Trust. We discussed some staff comments and changes have been made to improve the conditions at a location. People their relatives and staff were sent questionnaires periodically to judge their satisfaction of the service. Negative comments from relatives were followed up. Staff questionnaires are to be re-sent due to the low number of returns.
The provider understood their role and responsibilities under the duty of candour and informed CQC of incidents they were legally obliged to do so.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 29 January 2019).
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about infection prevention controls. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see the Safe and Well-Led sections of this report.
We reviewed the information we held about the service. No areas of concern were identified in the other key questions. We therefore did not inspect them. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection.
The overall rating of Good has not changed based on the findings at this inspection. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Affinity Trust - Domiciliary Care Agency - Midlands on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
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.