Background to this inspection
Updated
26 April 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:
The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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. On this occasion the expert had experience with older people and people living with dementia.
Service and service type:
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, people living with dementia, people with learning disabilities, people with mental health issues, people with a sensory impairment and younger adults.
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 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was to ensure someone would be available at the office to facilitate the inspection.
What we did:
Prior to the inspection we reviewed information and evidence we already held about the service, which had been collected via our ongoing monitoring of care services. This included notifications sent to us by the home. Notifications are changes, events or incidents that the provider is legally obliged to send to us without delay. We also asked for feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the home.
We asked the service to complete a 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.
We spoke with 14 people who used the service and three relatives about their experiences of the care provided.
We spoke with the registered manager, the senior manager and three members of support staff.
We reviewed four care files, five staff personnel files, training records, health and safety records, meeting minutes, audits and other records about the management of the service.
Updated
26 April 2019
About the service:
New Hope Specialist Care Ltd is a domiciliary care provider which offers a service older people, those with a disability and people who need assistance due to illness to continue living in their own home, in residential care and in the community. At the time of the inspection there were 49 people using the service.
People’s experience of using this service:
There were systems and processes in place to safeguard people from harm and the risk of abuse.
Individual risk assessments were held within the care files, were reviewed regularly and were up to date. General risk assessments around the environment and staff safety were also in place and up to date.
Staff files evidenced robust recruitment procedures. Staffing levels were sufficient to meet people’s needs.
There was an up to date medicines policy in place and systems for storage, administration, disposal, recording and errors were effective.
Staff had undertaken infection control training and robust systems were in place.
Monthly trackers helped address any patterns or trends around safeguarding concerns, accidents and incidents.
A thorough initial assessment was completed on admission.
Induction and training helped ensure staff knowledge and skills were appropriate for their roles.
Nutritional and hydration needs were documented, and food and fluid charts completed when required.
The service worked within the legal requirements of The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).
There was an up to date policy on equality and diversity and staff were aware of this.
There was clear evidence within care files that people were involved in decisions about their care and support, where they were able.
Reviews included the views of people who used the service and their relatives, where appropriate.
Care files included information around people’s interests to ensure these were person-centred.
Concerns and complaints were responded to in a timely manner.
Staff felt well supported in their roles, had sufficient training and supervisions were undertaken regularly.
The service ensured they kept up to date with new national standards.
Managers understood the need lead by example and were happy to fill in with care visits to cover absences when needed.
The managers regularly communicated with people who used the service by telephone or via visits to their homes.
A number of audits and checks took place to help ensure continued quality of service delivery.
Rating at last inspection:
This was the first inspection for this service.
Why we inspected:
This inspection was part of our scheduled plan of visiting services to check the safety and quality of care people received.
Follow up:
We did not identify any concerns at this inspection. Going forward we will continue to monitor this service and plan to inspect in line with our re-inspection schedule for services rated Good.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk