Archived: START North

Updated 31 May 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 inspector.

Service and service type:

START North is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats and provides a service to a range of adults. Not everyone using the service received the regulated activity ‘personal care’. The Care Quality Commission (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 manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means 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:

The inspection was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure the registered manager was available. The inspection started on 13 May 2019 by visiting the office location to meet with the registered manager and staff, and review records, policies and procedures. On 14 May 2019 we made telephone calls to people using the service.

What we did:

We reviewed information we had received about the service, including information within the Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We looked at other information received from the provider, such as statutory notifications about events the provider must notify us about. We also reviewed feedback from other professionals who work with the service. We took all the information into account when we inspected the service and making the judgements in this report.

During our inspection we spoke with four people using the service, three relatives of people using the service, three care staff, a nurse and occupational therapist employed by the provider, and the registered manager. We reviewed the care records for four people using the service, and other records relating to the management oversight of the service. These included two staff recruitment files, staff training and supervision records, policies and procedures, surveys and feedback from people who used the service and quality assurance audits.

Updated 31 May 2019

About the service: START North (Short Term Assessment and Reablement Team) service provides care and support for people who need immediate support to live independently in their own home; this may be because of a crisis or illness, or following a discharge from hospital. The service provides short term support for people to regain independence, or identifies if people require a permanent care provider to meet their longer term care needs. In addition, this service supports the HICT (Holistic Intermediate Care Team) service which supports people with dementia, and require an input from a team of professionals including Occupational Therapists and Admiral Nurses (specialist dementia nurses).

People’s experience of using this service:

People told us they felt safe receiving care from the staff.

Medication was administered safely and records kept were accurate.

Risk assessments were in place to manage risks within people’s lives.

Staff recruitment procedures ensured that appropriate pre-employment checks were carried out.

People told us that staff arrived mostly on time, and they received the support they required.

Staff were trained to support people effectively.

Staff were supervised and felt confident in their roles.

When required, people were supported by staff to prepare food.

When required, people had support with healthcare arrangements.

People's consent was gained before any care was provided, and they were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives.

Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect and spent time getting to know them.

People were supported in the least restrictive way possible.

Care was completely personalised to each individual, and an innovative approach to supporting people and their families led to positive outcomes for people living with dementia.

People and their families had access to a wide range of expertise which enabled them to receive the care they wanted, in their own homes for as long as was possible.

People and their families were involved in their own care planning as much as was possible.

A complaints system was in place and was used effectively.

The registered manager was open and honest, and worked in partnership with outside agencies to improve people’s support when required.

Audits took place which were effective at finding fault, and appropriate actions were taken.

The service had a registered manager in place and staff felt well supported by them.

Rating at last inspection: This was the first inspection for this service since their registration on 19 April 2018 with the Care Quality Commission.

Why we inspected: This was a planned comprehensive inspection

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.

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