Background to this inspection
Updated
10 February 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 checked 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.
The inspection took place on 20 December 2017 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is a small service and the registered manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in to facilitate the inspection.
Inspection site visit activity started on 18 December 2017 and ended on 20 December 2017. It included making telephone calls to people who used the service. We visited the office location on 20 December 2017 to see the registered manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures.
The inspection was undertaken by one adult social care inspector from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Prior to the inspection we looked at information we had about the service in the form of notifications, safeguarding concerns and whistle blowing information. We also received a provider information return (PIR) from the provider. This form asks the provider to give us some key information about what the service does well and any improvements they plan to make.
Before our inspection we contacted Oldham local authority commissioning team and the local safeguarding team to find out their experience of the service. This was to gain their views on the care delivered by the service. We did not receive any negative comments about the service.
During the inspection we spoke with the registered manager, the divisional manager and four members of care staff. We contacted 12 people who used the service and one relative to gather their views. We spent time at the office and looked at six care files, three staff personnel files, training records, staff supervision records, service user satisfaction surveys, meeting minutes and audits.
Updated
10 February 2018
The inspection took place on 20 December 2017 and was announced. This service is a domiciliary care agency and provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to people living with dementia, older people with physical disabilities and younger disabled adults. At the time of the inspection there were 60 people using the service. The office is situated on an industrial estate in Oldham.
There was a registered manager at the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People who used the service felt safe with the people who supported them. Staff files showed the recruitment system was robust and people employed had been checked via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to ensure they were suitable to work with vulnerable people. Staff rotas showed there were enough staff to meet the needs of the people who currently used the service.
There was an electronic call monitoring service in place and an out of hours on call system which helped ensure visits were not missed. There were appropriate individual risk assessments within the care plans. There was a staff health and safety manual to ensure staff were aware of how to keep themselves and people who used the service as safe as possible.
The service had a relevant and up to date safeguarding policy and procedure and all staff had had training in safeguarding. The medicines systems were safe and staff had undertaken appropriate training in medicines administration.
Records showed a thorough induction programme for new staff. Further training was on-going and staff were required to complete regular refresher courses for mandatory subjects.
Care plans we reviewed included relevant information about people’s health and well-being. People’s nutritional and hydration needs were clearly documented, along with any allergies and special dietary needs.
The service was working within the legal requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).
People who used the service told us the staff were kind and caring. Staff we spoke with were positive about their jobs.
We saw from care plans we looked at that independence was promoted and people told us their dignity and privacy were respected. There was a service user guide which included relevant information about the service.
Care files we looked at were person-centred and people’s choices for their care and support were respected.
Risk assessments and care plans were reviewed on a regular basis. Any changes were clearly documented within the care files. Activities, such as accompanying people who used the service to the shops, were facilitated by the service if possible.
Regular feedback was sought from people who used the service via telephone calls and quality assurance surveys. There was an up to date complaints policy and procedure and complaints were dealt with appropriately.
The registered manager was experienced and had been in post for some time. People who used the service told us they could contact the management team when they needed to and care staff felt well supported by management.
Regular staff supervisions and appraisals were carried out and there were staff meetings held on a regular basis. We saw records of regular observations of staff competence which were undertaken by the management.
There were a number of audits carried out on a regular basis. All were followed up with appropriate actions where required.