Background to this inspection
Updated
8 September 2023
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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
This inspection was completed by 2 inspectors.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
Registered Manager
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 18 August 2023 and ended on 23 August 2023. We visited the location’s office on 22 August 2023.
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. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with the registered manager. We sought feedback from people and staff and spoke with 6 relatives, 1 person who used the service, 4 care staff and 1 senior care staff. We looked at aspects of care records for 3 people. We reviewed a range of documentation relating to the management of the service including training records, staff recruitment, quality assurance, audits and checks.
Updated
8 September 2023
About the service
Compassion Care Service Limited provides care to people living in their own homes. 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, 16 people were receiving a service, of which 9 people were receiving the regulated activity of personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Guidance for staff about people’s known health conditions and the impact on the person and their care was limited. However, staff were found to be knowledgeable, and the registered manager took immediate action to improve this.
People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Staff had received safeguarding training and knew how to recognise and report any form of abuse. Risks associated with people’s individual care needs, including the environment were assessed, planned for and monitored. Care staff were knowledgeable about known risks and actions required of them to keep people safe.
There were enough staff to meet people’s care needs. People received care from regular staff. Care calls were monitored to ensure calls were on time and staff provided care in accordance with people’s assessed needs.
Staff completed ongoing training and support. This included a monthly training topic the registered manager required staff to complete.
Improvements were being made to training in first aid and moving and handling. In addition to theory training, practical training sessions were in the process of being arranged for these areas. Spot checks to review staff competency was completed. Staff were recruited safely.
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.
People were supported with their prescribed medicines safely. Care records were monitored to ensure people received their medicines as required.
Accidents and incidents were recorded, acted upon and action taken to learn and reduce reoccurrence.
Infection prevention and control best practice guidance was followed. Staff wore personal protective equipment to reduce the risk of cross contamination and infection.
The registered manager had systems and processes that assessed, monitored and reviewed the quality and safety of the service. Both the registered manager and director also delivered care to people when required and managed the service effectively having good oversight and leadership.
People who used the service and staff received opportunities to share their experience of the service. The management team along with the staff team, showed a commitment in providing care and support that was consistently of high quality, personalised and supported people to live independently.
People spoke positively and were complementary about the care and support they received. This included how caring and compassionate the staff were and the organisation, communication and responsiveness of the registered manager.
Rating at last inspection
The last rated inspection for this service was good (published 10 February 2018).
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has remained good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Compassion care Service Limited on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.