Updated 16 July 2019
The inspection:
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team:
The inspection was conducted by one adult social care inspector.
Service and service type:
Home Instead Senior Care - Watford is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care for people living in their own homes. People supported may be younger adults, older people, people living with dementia, people who may have physical disabilities, and/or people with a learning disability living in their own homes.
On the day of the inspection 79 people were using the service. Not everyone using Home Instead Senior Care - Watford received a regulated activity. On the day of our visit 43 people received the regulated activity. CQC only inspect the service being received by people provided with personal care, help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection:
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.
What we did:
Before our inspection we reviewed information about the service including statutory notification that had been submitted. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us. We reviewed the provider information return (PIR). This is information the provider must send us. This document details how they meet the regulations, identify any key achievements and any plans for improvement.
The inspection site visit activity started on 7th May 2019. We visited the office location on the 7th May to meet the registered manager and office staff as well as speaking to four staff member to gather their views.
We reviewed two care files which included all aspects of care and risk.
We looked at two staff files including all aspects of recruitment, supervisions, and training records.
We also reviewed records of accident, incidents, and complaints as well as audits and minutes of staff and professionals’ meetings.
We spoke with four people who used the service on 27th May 2019 to gather their views about the service provided.