Archived: De Vere Care

Updated 15 March 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection took place on 19, 23 and 24 January 2016 and was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service and to provide a rating under the Care Act 2014. It was an announced inspection, which meant the provider knew we would be visiting. This was because it was a domiciliary care agency and we wanted to make sure that the registered manager or someone who could act on their behalf would be available to support our inspection.

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors. Before the inspection, we reviewed the information that we held about the service. This included any complaints we received and statutory notifications sent to us by the provider. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.

At the time of the inspection the registered manager was on leave. However, we were able to speak with senior managers. We spoke with the operations manager and the responsible individual who was one of the directors of the agency. We also spoke with a deputy manager and three care workers. We also spoke to office based staff including a care coordinator, a training manager and a recruitment manager. As part of the inspection process we also spoke, by telephone, with twelve people who used the service and four relatives. We looked at documentation, which included ten people’s care plans, including risk assessments; ten care staff recruitment and training files and records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 15 March 2016

De Vere Care is a domiciliary care service based in Woodford Green, Essex. The service is registered to provide personal care for people in their own home, within the county of Essex. At the time of our inspection, the service provided a service to approximately 200 people, who received personal care and support in their own homes. The inspection was carried out over three days in January 2016 and was announced. The service was previously inspected in 2013 and met the standards we inspected.

The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered care homes, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People were cared for by staff who had an understanding of their needs and who demonstrated knowledge of safeguarding people from different types of potential abuse and how to respond. People had their individual risks assessed and had plans in place to manage the risks. Medicines were administered by staff that had received training to do this. The provider had procedures in place to check that people received their medicines as prescribed to effectively and safely meet their health needs.

Staff had been recruited following appropriate checks and the provider had arrangements in place to make sure that there was sufficient staff to provide support to people in their own homes. People told us they received care from care staff who understood their preferences for care and support. However, some people had concerns about the practice and communication of the service when their regular care workers were unavailable or at weekends. We were not assured that people were always contacted whenever their regular care worker was sick or not working because people told us that they did not know if a replacement carer was going to be provided. This meant that the service was not always responsive.

People were listened to by staff and were involved in making decisions about their care and support. Care staff were caring and supportive in the service they provided. Care workers provided support that ensured people were treated with privacy and dignity. People were supported by care staff to maintain their independence. People were encouraged to express their views and give feedback about their care. They told us that care staff listened to them and they felt confident they could raise any issues should the need arise and that action would be taken. Care staff felt supported by the registered manager and that the registered provider gave them opportunities to develop in their roles. The registered provider was committed to improving the service and the quality of care provided to people. The provider ensured regular checks were completed to monitor the care that people received and look at where improvements could be made.

We found one area where we have made a recommendation to the service, which is detailed in the report.