Gemini Grange

Updated 7 March 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.

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small 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.

Inspection site visit activity started on 28 November 2017 and ended on 14 December 2017. It included inspection methods such as observation, review of documentation and speaking with people and staff. We visited the office location on 28 November 2017 to see the manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures

The inspection team consisted of one adult social care inspector and one assistant inspector.

Before commencing the inspection we looked at all the information we held about the service. This included any notifications that had been received, complaints, whistleblowing or safeguarding information sent to CQC and the local authority. We also contacted the safeguarding and commissioning teams at Leeds City Council prior to inspection to gather their feedback about the service.

We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the course of the inspection we spoke with the registered manager, nominated individual and four care staff members. We also spoke on the phone with eight people who received a service from Yorkshire Senior Care.

We spent time at the services office. We looked at four staff files, six care records, six Medication Administration Records (MAR) charts, policies and procedures and audits.

Updated 7 March 2018

This was an announced inspection carried out on 28 November and 14 December 2017. Our last inspection of Yorkshire Senior Care took place on 21 and 22 September 2015 when the service was overall rated as 'Good'.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults. The service’s office is based in Wetherby and they provide support to people in the Wetherby and North Leeds area of Yorkshire. At the time of our inspection there were 57 people who used the service.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager 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.

People's needs were safely met. There were sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people's needs in a timely way. Staff had received training to provide them with the skills and knowledge they needed to provide people with safe care. Assessments were in place and appropriately acted upon to reduce and manage the risks to people's health and welfare.

Accidents and incidents were recorded and documented and changes were made to ensure risks were minimised. Environmental risks had been assessed and infection control was monitored.

Robust recruitment systems were in place and the provision of appropriate training, supervision and appraisal to all new staff. Staff understood the importance of protecting people from abuse and avoidable harm. They were aware of the actions they needed to take to report any concerns about people's safety or well-being.

People received support from a staff team that were caring, friendly, and responsive to people's changing needs. They were able to demonstrate that they understood what was required of them to provide each individual with the person centred support they needed to lead fulfilling lives as independently as possible.

People were treated with dignity and their right to make choices about how they preferred their care to be provided was respected. People's rights were protected. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People's care and support took into account their individuality and was person centred. People received an initial assessment prior to taking up the service and their agreed care plans reflected needs centred around the person, including their preferences.

People were supported to eat a healthy diet and to have access to health services in the community to support their health and well-being. The staff followed the advice of healthcare professionals in meeting people's needs where appropriate.

Staff ensured people who required support to manage their medicines received them as prescribed. We have made a recommendation about the provider improving their records around people’s medicines and how they prefer to take them.

People benefitted from a service that was appropriately managed so that they received their care in a timely and reliable way. People knew how to raise concerns and complaints and the provider had appropriate policies and procedures in place to manage them appropriately. There were also systems in place to assess and monitor the on-going quality of the service. People's views about the quality of the service were sought and acted upon.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.