Metro Homecare Ltd

Updated 8 September 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

This inspection consisted of an 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.

Service and Service Type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 1 days’ notice of the inspection. This is because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 8 March and ended on 15 May 2023. We visited the location’s office/service on 8 March 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed the information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 8 people who used the service and 6 relatives. We spoke with the registered manager, senior field care supervisor and communicated electronically with 6 care staff. We looked at a range of management records including medicines, quality audits and staff training. We reviewed 7 people’s care records including risk assessments and 6 staff recruitment records. The registered manager sent us documentation we asked for and clarified any queries we had.

Updated 8 September 2023

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

About the service

Metro Homecare Ltd is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of this inspection, 63 people were receiving a service. 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

Right Support:

The model of care maximised people’s choice, control and independence. People lived in their own flats and houses where they felt safe and comfortable. Staff supported people to in line with their preferences and wishes. People were protected from the risks associated from the spread of infection. People were encouraged to make choices and decisions in accordance with their level of understanding.

People were supported by enough appropriately skilled staff to meet their needs and keep them safe. People’s risks were assessed in a person-centred way. Care plans and risk assessments were regularly evaluated, involving the person, relatives and other professionals as appropriate. Systems were in place to report and learn from any incidents or accidents. Staff were recruited safely and there were enough staff on duty to meet people’s needs.

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.

Right Care:

Care was person centred and promoted people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. People were protected from abuse and poor care. Staff understood how to deliver a kind and compassionate care service. People and relatives told us care staff were caring and office staff were as kind as care staff. People were supported to maintain their privacy, dignity and independence by staff who knew them well.

People’s communication needs were met and information was shared in a way that could be understood. Staff supported people with activities of their choice as appropriate. People were supported to maintain links with their culture and their spiritual needs were met. Support focused on people’s quality of life and followed best practice.

Right Culture:

The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensured people using the service lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives. The registered manager had an open door police and people, relatives and staff spoke positively about the management of the service. People, relatives and staff told us they felt comfortable raising concerns and making suggestions to enable improvements to be made to the service.

Managers ensured staff had relevant training, supervision and appraisal. Governance systems ensured people were kept safe and received a high quality of care and support in line with their personal needs. The provider asked people, relatives and staff about their opinions of the service. Staff worked well with other professionals to improve outcomes for people.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 5 June 2019) and there were breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

At our last inspection, we recommended the provider consider current guidance in relation to record keeping in line with the MCA. At this inspection we found the provider had acted on our recommendation and had made improvements.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service. This inspection was carried out to also follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.