Background to this inspection
Updated
16 July 2021
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
The inspection was carried out by two inspectors 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.
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 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. 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.
Inspection activity started on 23 March 2021 and ended on 6 April 2021. We visited the office location on 23 March 2021.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since its registration. 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.
During the inspection
We spoke with three people who used the service and 12 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 11 members of staff including the registered manager and nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment. 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 registered manager to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with five professionals who have been involved with the service.
Updated
16 July 2021
About the service
Home Instead Warminster & Gillingham is a domiciliary care service providing personal care for people in their own home. The service offered support to people who require help with day to day routines, including meal preparation, shopping and housework. At the time of our inspection 22 people were receiving a regulated activity (personal care).
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they felt safe with staff and staff were able to evidence how and when to report a safeguarding concern.
Safe recruitment processes were in place to ensure staff were suitable for their roles.
Staff received induction, training and supervision to carry out their role effectively and safely. Risks to people had been identified and as such, this helped staff keep people safe and free from harm.
People received the medicines they required and people told us staff wore the appropriate PPE during the pandemic.
The registered manager and provider had good oversight of the service. Quality assurance systems had been developed to monitor the service.
Feedback from people, relatives and staff demonstrated they were happy with all aspects of the service.
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.
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 15 January 2019).
Why we inspected
We received concerns in relation to people’s personal care needs not being met and not being recorded. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.
We reviewed the information we held about the service. No areas of concern were identified in the other key questions. We therefore did not inspect them. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection.
The overall rating for the service has remained as good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from these concerns. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Home Instead Warminster and Gillingham 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.