Background to this inspection
Updated
4 July 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 process took place between the 23 and 24 April 2018 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours' notice because we needed to ensure somebody would be available to assist us with the inspection.
The inspection was carried out by one inspector. It also included an expert by experience who was responsible for contacting people to find out about their experiences of using the service. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of service.
Before the inspection, the provider completed 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. We also checked notifications made to us by the provider, safeguarding alerts raised regarding people using the service and information we held on our database about the service and provider.
We telephoned people who used the service and managed to speak with four people of them. We also spoke with four relatives and seven staff members. This included the registered manager, the deputy manager, client support manager and four care staff. We looked at four people's care plans, five staff recruitment files, staff training files, staff supervision programme and audits and records related to the management of the service.
Updated
4 July 2018
This inspection took place on 23and 24 April 2018 and was announced to ensure someone would be present at the service to provide us with any information we needed to support the inspection process. This was the first inspection since the service was registered with the Care Quality Commission in November 2015.
Abney & Baker (Bath) Limited is a domiciliary care service providing support for people living in their homes who may need support with aspects of their daily living.
At the time of the inspection, 47 people were receiving care and support from the service. Not everyone using Abney & Baker (Bath) Limited receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating.
Effective recruitment procedures were followed to ensure prospective staff were suitable to work in the home.
People received their medicines when they needed them from staff that had been trained and had their competency checked.
Risk assessments were carried out to enable people to retain their independence and receive care with minimum risk to themselves or others.
People were kept safe from abuse and harm and staff knew how to report any suspicions around abuse. Staff understood best practice for reducing the risk of infection.
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.
Staff received effective training to meet people's needs. An induction and training programme was in place for all staff.
Assessments were carried out to assess people's needs and preferences prior to them receiving a service. This meant that care outcomes were planned and staff understood what support each person required.
People were supported with their healthcare and nutritional needs as appropriate.
Staff treated people with kindness and compassion in their day-to-day support. Staff knew people's needs well and people told us they valued and liked their support staff.
People and their relatives were consulted as part of the person centred planning process and their views were acted upon.
People's dignity and privacy was respected and upheld and staff encouraged people to be as independent as possible.
Care and support was planned and personalised to each person, which ensured they were able to make choices about their daily lives.
People had access to a complaints procedure and were confident any concerns would be taken seriously and acted upon.
Systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service, which included seeking and responding to feedback from people and their relatives in relation to the standard of care and support.