Background to this inspection
Updated
30 August 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. 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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
One inspector, one nursing advisor 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.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. Inspection activity started on 25 July 2019 and ended on 5 August 2019. We visited the office location on 25 July 2019.
What we did before inspection
We reviewed 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. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with three people who used the service and three relatives by phone about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the provider and senior staff who were responsible for the day to day running of the service.
We reviewed a range of records. This included eight people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We spoke with one staff member who was the service’s clinical lead, and received email feedback from a healthcare professional who knew the service well.
Updated
30 August 2019
About the service
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 personal and nursing care to adults, younger disabled adults, and children. The packages of care that provided range from 30 minutes a day to 24 hour care dependant on the person's care needs. The care provided is in the Roseland and surrounding area of Cornwall. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting 28 people with personal care.
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
People felt valued and cared for by staff and told us the staff’s dedication to care was clear. The provider led the culture of caring within the service by taking every opportunity to improve people’s lives beyond the remit of the service. Staff spoke about people with great affection and were passionate about supporting them to achieve positive outcomes. They understood what was important to people’s wellbeing and made people feel special. They showed commitment to people beyond the calls they were allocated to provide. People were empowered to express their views by staff who had built trusting relationships with them.
People felt safe being supported by the service and told us they always received their calls at the right time. People’s records guided staff on how to reduce risks to people and staff understood how to recognise and report and concerns. People received their medicines on time from trained staff.
People only received support from staff who had been trained to meet their needs. Staff told us they felt well supported in their role. We have made a recommendation about staff recruitment processes.
People were supported to maintain their health and staff worked with other professionals to ensure people received the care they needed. 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.
People received care that was tailored to meet their individual needs, this included providing support to follow pastimes or interests. Complaints were listened to and appropriate action taken to improve the service.
People told us the service was well led. Staff were keen to deliver a person-centred service to people that truly empowered them to be in control of their lives. People valued the care and support they received and were consulted about how the service could be improved. We have made a recommendation about the oversite and support available to the service’s clinical lead.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service good (published 7 November 2017). Since this rating was awarded the service has moved premises. We have used the previous rating to inform our planning and decisions about the rating at this inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.