Updated 2 August 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
The inspection was conducted by two inspectors. After the inspection, two Experts by Experience supported the inspection by making phone calls to people who used the service and their relatives to ask for their feedback. 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 not a registered manager in post. However, the service manager was in the process of becoming the registered manager.
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 7 June 2023 and ended on 20 June 2023. We visited the location’s office on 9 June 2023.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection, including notifications of significant events. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We also 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 took this into account in making our judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We spoke with the nominated individual and care supervisor. The nominated individual is
responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We reviewed a range of records. This included 8 people's care records, multiple medicines records and 4 staff records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits, were also reviewed. We spoke with 6 people who used the service and 15 relatives. We emailed 47 care workers about their experience of the service and reviewed the written feedback received from 8 care workers.