Archived: Harpenden Mencap Domiciliary Service

Updated 8 February 2019

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is 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 for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection took place on 15 January 2019, was announced and was undertaken by one inspector. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the registered manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be available to support the inspection.

Before our inspection we reviewed information that we held about the service including statutory notifications that had been submitted. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us.

We had not requested a provider information return (PIR) at the time of this inspection. This is information that the provider is required to send to us, which gives us some key information about the service and tells us what the service does well and any improvements they plan to make.

We visited the office location on 15 January 2019 to meet the registered manager and to review care records and policies and procedures. We spoke with three people who used the service and two staff members to gather their views about the support provided.

We reviewed care records relating to two people who used the service and other documents central to people's health and well-being. These included staff training records, medication records and quality audits.

Updated 8 February 2019

This inspection took place on 15 January 2019 and was announced.

Harpenden Mencap Domiciliary Service is a domiciliary care agency. The service provides personal care and support for 11 people with learning disabilities who lived in individual flats in a modern purpose built building. The service also provided support for six people who lived in the local community.

Not everyone using Harpenden Mencap Domiciliary Service receives the regulated activity; 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.

At our last inspection in February 2016 we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Staff had been trained about safeguarding people from avoidable harm and were knowledgeable about the potential risks and signs of abuse. Risks to people’s safety and wellbeing were assessed and managed in the least restrictive way possible. Enough staff were available to meet people’s needs. People were supported to take their medicines safely. Staff had received training in infection control practices and personal protective equipment was provided for them. The management used incidents as a learning tool to help further ensure people’s safety and wellbeing.

Staff received training and supervision to enable them to meet people’s care and support needs. The service worked within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People had choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. People were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain their health and wellbeing. The staff and management team worked in partnership with external professionals and families to help ensure people’s needs were identified and met.

People had a stable team of staff to support them which helped to ensure continuity and enabled people to form bonds with the staff. Staff understood the importance of promoting people’s independence and respecting their dignity. People's care records were stored securely to help maintain their dignity and confidentiality.

People had been involved in developing care plans that addressed all areas of their lives. Staff were matched as far as possible with the people they supported in terms of gender, interests and skills. The registered manager had not received any concerns or complaints from people who used the service or their relatives in recent times but had appropriate processes in place to manage these.

There was a range of routine checks undertaken by the registered manager which were effective in identifying shortfalls. The registered manager was committed to providing good care and support and demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of the staff they employed and people who used the service.