Background to this inspection
Updated
1 February 2020
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. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
This inspection was carried out by one 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. 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.
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 24 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because we needed to be sure that someone would be in the office when we visited.
Inspection site visit activity started on 11 December 2019 and ended on 16 December 2019. We visited the office location on 11 December to see the manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures.
What we did before the inspection
The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return prior to this inspection. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about the service, what it does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account in making our judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We spoke with three people who used the service about their experience of the care provided by the agency, including two relatives. We spoke with five staff members including the registered manager, two field care coordinators and two care workers.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records, including care plans, risk assessments and medicine administration records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures and systems for monitoring the quality of the service provided, such as audits, complaints and accidents and incidents.
After the inspection
After the inspection we gathered additional evidence and information to corroborate what we had reviewed.
Updated
1 February 2020
About the service
Circle of Care Service, West Green Learning Centre, Park View Academy is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses, flats and special housing. At the time of our inspection it was providing a service to four people.
People’s experience of using this service
People and relatives felt the service was safe. Systems and processes were in place to support care staff to understand their role and responsibilities to protect people from avoidable harm. Staff were knowledgeable about the actions required to protect people from abuse. People were protected from the risks associated with the spread of infection. Systems were in place to record and respond to accidents and incidents.
There were systems in place to ensure the proper and safe use of medicines. Care staff were recruited safely to ensure they were good character to work with people who used the service.
Systems were in place to support staff in their role including training, supervision and appraisals. People’s care and support needs were assessed and monitored to ensure the service was able to meet their needs. Risks to people were minimised because there were effective systems and processes in place. Risk assessments detailed information about how to support people to make sure risks were minimised.
People had their nutritional needs met where this support was provided. They told us care staff left food or drink within reach before leaving people’s homes. The service worked with other health care services to ensure people’s health needs were met.
People were treated with dignity and respect and involved in decisions about their care. Although staff were aware of the people’s communication needs, this detail was not always included in the care plan.
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.
People and relatives were made aware of the complaints procedure and felt able to approach the service with any concerns. Quality assurance systems were in place, such as spot checks and audits. However, improvements to the service required time to be embedded.
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 inadequate (published 12 June 2019) and there were multiple breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
This service has been in Special Measures since May 2019. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.
Why we inspected
This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.
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.