Archived: RV Care Limited (Somerset)

Updated 23 November 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.

The inspection took place on 4 October 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours' notice of the inspection visit because we needed to be sure someone would be in.

This inspection was undertaken by one 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.

Before our inspection visit, we reviewed the 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 looked at previous inspection reports and notifications we had received. Services tell us about important events relating to the care they provide using a notification.

To gain feedback about RV Care Limited, we spoke to five people who used the service, and three relatives on the telephone. We spoke with the registered manager, two senior managers and three staff. We looked at people's care records and documentation in relation to the management of the agency. This included quality auditing processes and staff training and recruitment records. After the inspection, we contacted two health and social care professionals for their views of the service. One health and social care professional responded.

Updated 23 November 2018

This inspection took place on 4 October 2018 and was announced.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to older people living in their own homes within Avonpark retirement village.

Not everyone using RV Care Limited receives regulated activity. CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care', and help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. For people who receive a regulated activity, we also take into account any wider social care provided.

In August 2017, there was a change in legal entity. This was because RV Care Limited was purchased by another organisation, HC-One. The agency did not however change its name and continues to be known as RV Care Limited. Due to the change in legal entity, this was the agency’s first inspection.

There was a new manager in post. They were in the process of becoming the registered manager. 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. The manager was available throughout the inspection.

The manager had started employment at the service, three weeks before the inspection. During this time, they had spent time with people, their relatives and staff to determine what the agency did well and what needed further development. As a result, an action plan had been devised.

People’s medicines were not always managed safely. Staff had not fully completed the medicine administration records, after giving people their medicines. This did not show people had received their medicines, as prescribed. The gaps in the records had been identified but sufficient action had not been taken.

People’s support plans varied in content. Some aspects were detailed but other areas contained limited information. The manager and senior management had identified this and a new support plan format was being introduced.

People were assessed before being offered a service. This ensured the agency could meet their needs. People were encouraged to make decisions and direct their care. This included choosing what support they wanted and when. People could have assistance with meal preparation and were encouraged to remain healthy. This included accessing health care, as required.

People and their relatives were happy with the service they received. People were supported by the same members of staff, which ensured consistency and established relationships. There were no concerns about missed or late visits.

Staff treated people with kindness and compassion. Their rights to privacy, dignity and respect were promoted. People were encouraged to give their views about the service and knew how to make a complaint.

There were enough staff to support people safely. More staff were being recruited to accommodate the planned growth of the service. The manager was increasing the agency’s profile and in time would restart support within the wider community.

Staff received a range of training and felt supported in their role. They were aware of their responsibilities to identify and report a suspicion of abuse.

We made one recommendation to ensure further focus was given to the management of people’s medicines.