Three Sisters Community Care LLP

Updated 29 May 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 completed by one inspector.

Service and service type: Three Sisters Community Care LLP is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.

Not everyone using Three Sisters Community Care receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

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 three working days' notice of the inspection site visit, so the registered manager could arrange for staff to speak with us on the day of the inspection.

We visited the office location on 6 March 2019 to see the manager and office staff, and to review care records and policies and procedures. We contacted people who used the service and their relatives on 17 April 2019.

What we did: Before the inspection, we looked at information sent to us since the last inspection such as notifications about accidents, safeguarding alerts and the Provider Information Return (PIR). Providers are required to send us some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We contacted the local authority contracts and commissioning teams and adult safeguarding teams. We also contacted Healthwatch, the consumer champion for health and social care, to ask if they had any information to share.

During the inspection, we spoke with three people who used the service and three relatives. We spoke with the registered manager, two care support workers and one senior carer. We received feedback from one health and social care professional.

We looked at a range of documentation such as care files and medication records for six people. We looked at other records for the management of the service such as recruitment, induction, supervision and staff training. We also looked at surveys, audits, compliments and complaints.

Updated 29 May 2019

About the service: Three Sisters Community Care LLP is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. It provides a service to older people and those living with dementia. At the time of the inspection, they were providing a service to 65 people; 39 of which were receiving a regulated activity of personal care and support.

People’s experience of using this service: Staff were kind, caring and passionate about their role and people were extremely happy with the care provided. People said, “We've been extraordinarily lucky to come across Three Sisters Community Care LLP. A friend recommended them to us and they’ve been amazing."

Staff were respectful and built trusting relationships with people. They supported people to maintain their dignity and independence. People were supported to access healthcare services in a timely manner. Equality and diversity was respected and people were recognised as individuals.

Staff were skilled and provided person-centred care to meet people’s needs. Staff told us they felt well supported by the management team and received regular supervision and appraisals. Staff received appropriate training and were supported to undertake additional training specific to people’s needs.

People were supported by a consistent team and were protected from avoidable harm and abuse by staff who could identify and report safeguarding concerns. People’s medicines were administered as prescribed and this was closely monitored. Staff understood people’s needs and risks to their safety; risk assessments guided staff on how to safely meet people’s needs.

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 were trained in mental capacity legislation and understood their responsibilities. They gained consent before providing care and supported people to make their own decisions and choices.

The registered manager used their experience to provide a high-quality, person-centred service. They had an open and honest approach and supported staff. People were confident their concerns or complaints would be addressed promptly and the management team used feedback to develop the service.

Rating at last inspection: Good (The last report was published 9 July 2016).

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection.

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

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