Archived: Brook Domiciliary Care

Updated 24 April 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 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 24 January 2018 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours' notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that the manager would be available to assist with the inspection.

The inspection team consisted of one adult social care 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. They supported our inspection by making telephone calls to people who used the service and their relatives to help us understand their experiences and views about the service provided.

Before our inspection, we reviewed all the information we held about the service. We examined notifications received by the Care Quality Commission. Notifications contain information about changes, events or incidents that the provider is legally required to send us.

During the inspection, we reviewed four people's care files and four staff files. We looked at a range of records relating to the management of the service. We spoke with 10 people who used the service and their relatives. We also spoke with three support staff, the registered manager and a care

coordinator working at the service.

Updated 24 April 2018

This inspection of Brook Domiciliary Care Ltd was carried out on 24 January 2018 and was announced. This was the first inspection of this service under its current registration.

Brook Domiciliary Care is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes and flats. It provides a service to older adults, younger adults, people living with dementia and people with a sensory impairment. Not everyone using Brook Domiciliary Care received a regulated activity. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care', such as help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also take into account any wider social care provided.

Brook Domiciliary care provided the regulated activity of personal care from an office based in Ilford, Essex. At the time of this inspection, 50 people were using the service. All the people who used the service received direct payments from the local authority and had chosen to use the service.

A registered manager was in post. 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.

Staff supported people at home with their care needs and the service had assessed some risks. However, not all risks associated with people’s health care tasks had been assessed to ensure they were safe at all times, when staff carried out personal care. Although people received their medicines, records maintained by the service were not always clear, regularly reviewed and appropriately maintained by the service.

Quality assurance systems were in place but were not always effective. The audits, which the service carried out, had not identified the shortfalls we found during the inspection to ensure people received a consistently safe service.

Care plans were inconsistent. Some care plans did not include the support people would require in relation to their current circumstances. Care plans contained information on how to communicate with people. Pre-assessment forms had been completed in full to assess people’s needs and their background. Reviews were being carried out regularly. We have made a recommendation for the registered manager to review and update all the care plans with regard to supporting people based on their condition and current circumstances

People received safe care. Staff recruitment processes were followed and ensured that people were protected from being cared for by unsuitable staff. There were enough staff to provide care and support to people to meet their needs safely. Staff were trained in procedures to support and protect people from abuse.

People were supported to maintain good health and nutrition. Staff were equipped with sufficient personal protection equipment to reduce the risk of infection and cross contamination when supporting people with their personal care.

People received effective care and support. Staff received induction and on-going training for their role and understood their responsibilities to perform their roles effectively.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People received good care from staff. They had developed positive relationships with the staff who understood their needs. Staff were kind, caring and treated people with dignity and respect.

Staff worked in a flexible way which promoted continuity of care so that they could meet people's needs in a person centred way. The registered manager ensured the management team provided staff with the support they needed.

People knew how to raise a concern or to make a complaint. The provider had a complaint policy and complaints received were investigated in accordance with this policy.

We found two breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.