Berkeley Home Health - East of England

Updated 29 December 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.

Inspection activity started on 22 November 2018 when we visited the office premises and ended 5 December 2018 when we gave feedback to the registered manager.

This was an announced, comprehensive inspection carried out by one inspector and an expert by experience. They assisted us with telephone interviews of people who used the service and relatives where appropriate. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of service.

The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because we wanted to be certain the registered manager and key staff would be available on the day of our inspection visit. We also wanted to give them sufficient time to make arrangements with people and where appropriate their relatives so that we could visit them in their homes to find out their experience of the service.

As part of our inspection planning, we requested that the provider complete a 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. This was received from the provider. We also reviewed information we held about the service including feedback sent to us from other stakeholders, for example the Local Authority and members of the public. Providers are required to notify the Care Quality Commission (CQC) about matters relating to people’s safety and the running of the service. We reviewed the notifications the provider had sent us.

The inspector visited the office location on 22 November 2018 and spoke with the registered manager, the field care supervisor, the care co-ordinator and four care workers. We reviewed the care records of six people to check they were receiving their care as planned. We looked at records relating to the management of the service, staff recruitment and training, and systems for monitoring the quality of the service.

On 23 November 2018 with their permission, we visited two people and three relatives in their homes. On 23 November and 26 November 2018, we carried out telephone interviews and spoke to nine people who used the service and thirteen relatives. We also received electronic feedback from three relatives, three members of staff and three community professionals.

Updated 29 December 2018

Berkeley Home Health -East of England is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people who live in their own houses or flats and provides live–in care staff to people in their own homes. It provides a service to adults. Not everyone using Berkeley Home Health – East of England receives the 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 take into account any wider social care provided.

This service was registered on 4 October 2017. This was their first inspection.

At the time of this announced comprehensive inspection of 23 November 2018, there were 54 people who used the service and received ‘personal care’. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because we wanted to be certain the registered manager and key staff would be available on the day of our inspection. We also wanted to give them sufficient time to seek agreements with people and their relatives so that we could visit them in their homes to find out about their experience of using the service.

A registered manager was 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.

Berkeley Home Health - East of England was exceptionally well led. There was visible and effective leadership in an open and transparent culture that resulted in an effectively organised, supportive and well-run service. The registered manager demonstrated how their robust quality assurance systems had sustained continual development and improvement at the service. They were clear about their expectations relating to how the service should be provided and led by example. They were supported by care workers and an office management team that were passionate and fully committed to delivering quality person-centred care to people. Morale was high within the service.

Without exception, people and their relatives were extremely complimentary about their experience of using the service. They were full of praise about their care workers and shared numerous examples of how their care workers consistently provided them with personalised, tailored care in responsive to their needs. They described how their care workers took the time to ensure every small detail of the care provided met their individual needs and wishes and the positive impact this had on their well-being. Everybody we spoke with said that they would highly recommend the service.

People told us that the care workers were kind, compassionate and respectful towards them. They described how they trusted and felt safe with the care workers, who knew them well and encouraged them to be as independent as possible. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and care workers supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People’s care records were comprehensive, accurate and reflected the care and support provided. Care workers consistently protected people’s privacy and dignity.

Systems were in place to minimise the risks to people, including from abuse, and in relation to mobility, nutrition and with accessing the community. Care workers understood their roles and responsibilities in keeping people safe.

Recruitment checks were carried out with sufficient numbers of care workers employed. They had the knowledge and skills, through regular supervision and training, to meet people’s needs.

Where people required assistance with their medicines, safe systems were followed. Systems were in place to reduce the risks of cross infection.

The service worked in partnership with other agencies. Where care workers had identified concerns in people’s wellbeing there were systems in place to contact health and social care professionals to make sure they received appropriate care and treatment. Where required, people were safely supported with their dietary needs.

There was a complaints procedure in place and people knew how to voice their concerns if they were unhappy with the care they received. People’s feedback was valued and acted on. The service had an effective quality assurance system and shortfalls were identified and addressed. As a result, the quality of the service continued to progress.