Archived: First Choice Medical Solutions Ltd

Updated 24 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 checked 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 took place on 09 January 2019, was announced and was undertaken by one inspector. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the registered manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be available to support the inspection.

Before our inspection we reviewed information that we held about the service including statutory notifications that had been submitted. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us.

We reviewed the provider information return (PIR). This is information that the provider is required to send to us, which gives us some key information about the service and tells us what the service does well and any improvements they plan to make.

Inspection activity started on 09 January 2019 and ended on 10 January 2019. We visited the office location on 09 January 2019 to meet the registered manager and finance director and to review care records and policies and procedures. On 10 January 2019 we spoke with relatives of three people who used the service and two staff members to gather their views about the support provided.

We reviewed care records relating to three people who used the service and other documents central to people's health and well-being. These included staff training records, medication records and quality audits.

Updated 24 January 2019

This inspection took place on 09 January 2019 and 10 January 2019 and was announced.

This was the first inspection of this service since the provider initially registered with the Care Quality Commission in January 2018.

First Choice Medical Solutions Ltd 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 adults and children who may live with sensory or physical disabilities, dementia or learning disabilities and autism. At the time of this inspection six people were using the service.

Not everyone using First Choice Medical Solutions Ltd receives 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 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.

Staff had been trained about safeguarding people from avoidable harm and were knowledgeable about the potential risks and signs of abuse. Risks to people’s safety and wellbeing were assessed and managed in the least restrictive way possible. Enough suitably trained staff were available to meet people’s needs. People's medicines were safely managed. Staff had received training in infection control practices and personal protective equipment such as gloves and aprons was provided for them. The management and staff team used incidents as a learning tool to help further ensure people’s safety and wellbeing.

Staff received training and supervision to enable them to meet people’s care and support needs. The service worked within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Staff and management team liaised with social care commissioners and appointed next-of-kin where people were not able to give consent. People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts to maintain their health and wellbeing. The staff and management team worked in partnership with external professionals and families to help ensure the individuals needs were identified and met.

People had a small team of staff who supported them which helped to ensure continuity and enabled people to form bonds with the staff. Staff understood the importance of promoting people’s independence and respecting their dignity. People's care records were stored securely to help maintain their dignity and confidentiality.

People and their relatives had been involved in developing care plans that addressed all areas of people’s lives. Staff were matched as far as possible with the people they supported in terms of gender, interests and skills. The registered manager had not received any concerns or complaints from people who used the service or their relatives but had appropriate processes in place to manage these.

There was a range of routine checks undertaken by the management team which were effective in identifying shortfalls. The management team were passionate about providing good care and support and demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of the staff they employed and people who used the service. The management team had an operational oversight of the service and priorities for the organisation.