Background to this inspection
Updated
8 February 2020
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
This inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that 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
We gave the service 24 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 28 November and ended on 05 December 2019. We visited the office location on 28 and 29 November.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service from registration with CQC and since this time. 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 also reviewed the provider’s website. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two 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.
We spoke with one parent on the phone and received feedback from another by email about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager, care co-ordinator, a health care support worker and a paediatric nurse.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.
Updated
8 February 2020
About the service
Unity Care Solutions is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people who live in their own homes. The service is registered to support both children and adults with physical health needs. At the time of the inspection the service was providing personal care to five children and no adults.
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 people receive personal care we also consider any wider social care provided.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Children and young people were safe from risks of neglect or abuse and had risk management plans in place which were appropriate. Medicines were managed well by the service. Parents felt confident in the service, with one parent telling us, “Overall we are extremely happy with Unity, their communication, training of carers and overall service is fantastic.”
Staff were trained and supported to develop and maintain the skills they needed to meet the complex needs of the children and young people they supported. Staff and the registered manager worked closely with other healthcare professionals and services to ensure children and young people’s needs were met.
Children and young 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; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
Staff were caring, kind and compassionate and worked well with the children and young people they supported. Parents told us that staff were kind and well-liked by their children. Staff understood how best to work with parents who were experts in their child’s condition.
The service was responsive to the needs of children and young people, as well as their family and support network. Parents knew how to make a complaint should they wish to and felt the registered manager was approachable and responsive. The wishes of children, young people and their families around end of life care were explored sensitively and captured in detailed plans, where appropriate.
The service was well-led, staff told us they felt empowered and that the service was open and inclusive. Parents had confidence in the leadership of the service. The registered manager was focussed on continuous improvement and sought the views of staff and parents to guide the development of the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 06 December 2018 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was the first planned inspection of this service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.