Background to this inspection
Updated
10 January 2019
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 included a visit to the agency’s office on 21 November 2018. Phone calls to people and their relatives using the service 23 November 2018 and some phone calls to staff 27 November 2018 to get their views of the service. The registered manager was given short notice of our inspection, in line with our current methodology for inspecting domiciliary care agencies.
We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
At the time of this inspection the agency was supporting nine people with personal care who wished to retain their independence and continue living in their own home.
The inspection team consisted of one Adult Social Care 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, in this case this was older people. They supported with this inspection by carrying out telephone interviews to seek the views and experience of people using the service.
On 21 November 2018 we visited the agency office and spoke with the registered manager, the office manager and a care worker. When we visited the office, we reviewed a range of records about people's care and how the domiciliary care agency was managed. These included peoples care records, staff training, support and employment records and quality assurance audits.
On 23 November 2018 the Expert by Experience spoke with relatives and people who used the service by telephone to obtain some feedback on how they found the service provision.
Updated
10 January 2019
The inspection took place on 21, 23 and 27 November 2018. The inspection was announced in line with our current methodology for inspecting domiciliary care agencies. This is the first time this service has been inspected since they registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in November 2017.
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to older adults, younger disabled adults and children.
The CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection nine people were receiving personal care.
The service was managed by 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.
People were safe. Staff understood their responsibilities in relation to protecting people from the risk of harm. Where risks to people had been identified, risk assessments were in place and action had been taken to manage the risks. Staff were aware of people's needs and followed guidance to keep them safe. People received their medicines as prescribed. Infection prevention and control procedures were in place and staff followed these.
Staffing levels were maintained to ensure that people's care and support needs continued to be met safely and there were safe recruitment processes in place.
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. People’s needs and choices were assessed and mental capacity assessments were undertaken.
Staff displayed empathy and worked with people and their relatives to understand how best to support them. Everyone we spoke with, without exception, said they were very happy with the service being provided. Staff were kind, considerate, respected people and maintained their dignity.
People received individualised, personalised, person centred care that met their needs. People were supported to live fulfilled and meaningful lives.
People were listened to and any complaints received were dealt with following the providers complaints policy and procedure.
Staff told us they enjoyed their work and received regular supervision and training. Staff were complimentary about the management team and how they were supported to carry out their work. The management team were also clearly committed to providing a good service for people.
Staff and the registered manager shared the visions and values of the service and these were embedded within service delivery. A system was in place for checking the quality of the service using audits, satisfaction surveys and meetings. People made their views known through direct discussion with the registered manager and staff, or through the complaint and quality monitoring systems. People's privacy and confidentiality were maintained as records were held securely.