The Caring Hands

Updated 30 March 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

This comprehensive inspection was carried out on 6 and 7 March 2019 by one inspector, an inspection manager 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:

The Caring Hands is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. It provides a service to adults.

The service is not required to have a registered manager because the provider is registered as an individual. This is someone who manages their own service(s) on a day-to-day basis, so do not also need to register as a manager. A registered person (provider or manager) is someone who is registered with the Care Quality Commission. They 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 three working days’ notice of the inspection visit, because the management team are often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be available.

The inspection started on 6 March 2019 and ended on 7 March 2019. We visited the office location on 6 March to see the management team and care staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures. We spoke with people and relatives by telephone on 6 and 7 March 2019, to ask them about their experience of using the service.

What we did:

Providers are required to send us key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

Before this inspection we checked the information, we held about the service and the provider, such as notifications. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us.

The provider completed 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. We also asked for feedback from the local authority who have a quality monitoring and commissioning role with the service. No concerns were reported.

We spoke with 12 people using the service, four relatives, the provider, the operations manager and three care staff, including one supervisor.

We looked at various records, including care records for three people, as well as other records relating to the running of the service. These included staff records, medicine records, audits and meeting minutes; so that we could corroborate our findings and ensure the care and support being provided to people was appropriate for them.

Updated 30 March 2019

About the service:

• The Caring Hands is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to adults living in their own houses and flats, so that they can live as independently as possible.

• Not everyone using The Caring Hands receives a 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.

• At the time of this inspection 57 people were using the service, 46 of whom were receiving personal care.

People’s experience of using this service:

• Everyone told us they would recommend the service to others and some people already had. One person said, “I am very happy. I wouldn’t want to change them at all. I would definitely recommend, I am always telling people I couldn’t have better carers in the world.” Another person added, “They (staff) are all very nice, I would recommend them. They help me out if I need them. I can rely on them if I have a problem.”

• People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm and risks to people were managed safely.

• There were enough staff, with the right training and support, to meet people’s needs and help them to stay safe. Staff provided care and support in a kind and compassionate way.

• The service acted in line with legislation and guidance regarding seeking people’s consent. People were enabled 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 privacy, dignity, and independence was respected and promoted. They received personalised care and were given opportunities to participate in activities of their choosing.

• Systems were in place for people to raise any concerns or complaints they might have about the service. Feedback was responded to in a positive way, to improve the quality of service provided.

• There was strong leadership at the service. The management team and the service culture they created drove and improved high-quality, person-centred care.

• Arrangements were in place to involve people in developing the service and seek their feedback, and systems were in place to monitor the quality of service provision and to drive continuous improvement. Opportunities for the service to learn and improve were welcomed and acted upon, and the service worked in partnership with other agencies for the benefit of the people living there.

Rating at last inspection:

This service has not been rated since the provider moved address in January 2018 and we undertook checks as part of that process. Prior to this the service was inspected and rated Good (published August 2016), at the provider’s previous address. Details of that inspection can be found under the provider’s old profile on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection as part of CQC’s routine inspection programme.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor information about the service and will carry out another inspection in accordance with our published inspection programme. If any concerning information is received in the interim, we may inspect sooner.

For more details of this inspection, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.