Gravesend

Updated 15 December 2020

The inspection

As part of a pilot into virtual inspections of domiciliary and extra-care housing services, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) conducted an inspection of this provider between 16 and 23 November 2020. The inspection was carried out with the consent of the provider and was part of a pilot to gather information to inform CQC whether it might be possible to conduct inspections in a different way in the future. We completed this inspection using virtual methods and online tools such as electronic file sharing, video calls and phone calls to gather the information we rely on to form a judgement on the care and support provided. At no time did we visit the provider’s or location’s office as we usually would when conducting an inspection.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by one inspector and an assistant inspector.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

The service had a manager registered with CQC. 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. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We reviewed all the information we had received about the service including notifications telling us about significant events within the service. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people who used the service and two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, care managers, team leader and support worker.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and medication records. We looked at one staff file in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.

Updated 15 December 2020

This report was created as part of a pilot which looked at new and innovative ways of fulfilling The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) regulatory obligations and responding to risk in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was conducted with the consent of the provider. Unless the report says otherwise, we obtained the information in it without visiting the provider.

About the service

Gravesend 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 older people, younger adults and people with complex needs such as diabetes, autism, dementia and physical disabilities.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting 26 people with personal care.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People and their relatives were positive about the care and support provided by the service. People told us they were supported in the way they preferred and felt they were involved and listened to.

Staff knew how to recognise and keep people safe from abuse and discrimination. Potential risks to people’s health and welfare had been assessed. There was guidance in place for staff to mitigate these risks. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities including infection prevention control.

People were supported by staff who were recruited safely and had the skills to support people’s complex needs. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. People told us staff were on time and did not rush them. People were supported to take their medicines as required.

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

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. Relatives told us people’s privacy and dignity were respected by staff. People received person centred care, staff discussed with people and relatives their goals and aspirations. Relatives told us their loved ones were supported to be part of the community.

Checks and audits were completed on the quality of the service. People, relatives and staff were supported to express their views. People and relatives knew how to raise concerns and were confident action would be taken.

The registered manager and staff were passionate about providing high quality care. They had a vision for the future of the service to offer specialised support for people living with dementia and autism.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (published 3 July 2018).

Why we inspected

This was a planned pilot virtual inspection. The report was created as part of a pilot which looked at new and innovative ways of fulfilling CQC’s regulatory obligations and responding to risk in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was conducted with the consent of the provider. Unless the report says otherwise, we obtained the information in it without visiting the provider.

The pilot inspection considered the key questions of safe and well-led and provide a rating for those key questions. Only parts of the effective, caring and responsive key questions were considered, and therefore the ratings for these key questions are those awarded at the last inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Gravesend on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.