Background to this inspection
Updated
30 October 2020
The inspection
As part of a pilot into virtual inspections of domiciliary and extra-care housing services, the Care Quality Commission conducted an inspection of this provider on 15 October 2020. The inspection was carried out with the consent of the provider and was part of a pilot to gather information to inform CQC whether it might be possible to conduct inspections in a different way in the future. We completed this inspection using virtual methods and online tools such as electronic file sharing, video calls and phone calls to gather the information we rely on to form a judgement on the care and support provided. At no time did we visit the provider’s or location’s office as we usually would when conducting an inspection.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an assistant inspector.
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. They were also the provider and that means they 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. 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 available to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 7 October 2020 and ended on 15 October 2020.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from a local authority who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with two people who used the service and four people's relatives about their experiences. We spoke with nine staff including the registered manager, the care coordinator and care workers.
We reviewed a range of records electronically. This included five people's care records, risk management plans, daily communication records and medicine administration records. We looked at staffs training records and reviewed records relating to the management of the service including quality audits and policies and procedures.
Updated
30 October 2020
This report was created as part of a pilot which looked at new and innovative ways of fulfilling CQC’s regulatory obligations and responding to risk in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was conducted with the consent of the provider. Unless the report says otherwise, we obtained the information in it without visiting the Provider.
About the service
SureCare Coventry & South Warwickshire is a domiciliary care agency which is registered to provide personal care and support to people in their own homes. Support is provided to children, younger adults and older people, living with mental health support needs, physical and sensory impairments and learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection the service was supporting 25 people.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People and relatives were very satisfied with the service provided and the way the service was managed. The registered manager and staff shared a passion to provide individualised, responsive care and worked in partnership with people, relatives and other professionals to achieve this.
Relatives had confidence in staff’s ability to deliver care safely. People received their care calls at the times they expected, for the length of time agreed and from staff they knew. Medicines and risk associated with people’s care was well-managed, and in- line with legislative requirements and best practice guidelines. Staff followed good infection prevention and control practices to keep people and themselves safe.
The registered manager and staff worked within the requirements and principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff understood the importance of gaining consent from people. 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.
The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. The service provided was tailored to each person’s needs and designed to maximise choice and control. People’s rights were respected, promoted and upheld. The registered manager and staff worked flexible to ensure good outcomes for people and their families.
People and relatives described staff as trustworthy, caring and considerate. Staff had a very good understanding of people’s needs and what was important to them. Staff used a range of communication methods to ensure people were able to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their care. People’s care plans were personalised, detailed and up to date. This meant staff had the information they needed to provide care safely.
People, relatives and staff spoke highly of the registered manager describing them as, ‘always accessible, easy to talk to, supportive and responsive’. Relatives felt able to raise issue with the registered manager and were confident these would be addressed. Staff felt supported and valued by the management team. The management team completed regular checks to monitor the quality and safety of service provided. People, relatives and staff were encouraged to share their views about the service to drive forward improvements. Relative’s told us their consistently positive experiences meant they would recommend the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 18 November 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned pilot virtual inspection. The report was created as part of a pilot which looked at new and innovative ways of fulfilling CQC’s regulatory obligations and responding to risk in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was conducted with the consent of the provider. Unless the report says otherwise, we obtained the information in it without visiting the Provider.
The pilot inspection considered the key questions of safe and well-led and provide a rating for those key questions. Only parts of the effective, caring and responsive key questions were considered, and therefore the ratings for these key questions are those awarded at the last inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for SureCare Coventry and South Warwickshire 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.