Archived: I Care Service

Updated 22 March 2017

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 17 February 2017 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice before we visited the office because the service provides care to people within their own homes. The provider and staff operated from a central office and we needed to be sure that they would be on the premises so we could speak with them during the inspection.

The inspection team consisted of one inspector 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 care service.

Before the inspection, we requested that the provider complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. This was received from the provider. We also reviewed other information that we held about the service. We had requested feedback before the inspection from the local authority safeguarding and quality assurance teams.

During this inspection, we spoke with 10 people who used the service and four relatives of people who received care from I Care. We also spoke with four care staff, the deputy manager and the provider.

We looked at the care plans and risk assessments of five people who used the service, three staff recruitment records and information in relation to staff training. We also looked at how the provider monitored the quality and safety of the service.

Updated 22 March 2017

This was an announced inspection that took place on 17 February 2017.

I Care is a service that provides personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of the inspection, 63 people were receiving care from the service.

The service does not require a manager to be registered as the provider is an individual. The service is managed on a day to day basis by the provider and two deputy managers.

Improvements were required to ensure that effective systems were in place to ensure that people received their medicines when they needed them and that the required checks had taken place prior to staff working for the service. This was to ensure they were of the appropriate character to work within care.

People were cared for by kind, caring and compassionate staff. The provider tried to ensure that people saw the same staff on a regular basis to help them build and maintain caring and meaningful relationships. People told us this was important to them. People were treated with dignity and their diverse needs were respected.

The staff knew the people they cared for well and this meant they were able to provide people with care based on their individual needs and preferences. There were enough staff working at the service to enable them to do this. People were able to make decisions about their own care and the service was responsive to their changing needs and requests.

Staff were aware of how to keep people safe and they had received enough training to give them the skills and knowledge to provide people with effective care. Staff competence had been regularly assessed to ensure their skills and knowledge were kept up to date.

People were protected from the risk of abuse and where it was part of their care package, received support to eat and drink enough to meet their needs. They were also supported with their health when necessary.

The staff and provider listened to people and improved the quality of care they received in response to any concerns raised. Good leadership and direction was provided to the staff which meant they knew what was expected of them.