Mellowcare Ltd

Mellowcare Ltd a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. The Care Quality Commission (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. At the time of our inspection, 14 people were receiving a personal care service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

There were systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service, management carried out regular checks.

Medicines were managed safely. Staff were trained in medication and had their competency assessed.

People were supported by a regular team of care staff and said they received their calls on time. People were confident care staff had received appropriate training to meet their needs; we saw this was in line with current guidelines.

There were enough staff to effectively meet the current packages of care which supported people’s needs. People were supported safely and any risk regarding their care was assessed. Staff were aware of how to report any concerns about neglect or abuse and were confident if they raised a concern It would be addressed.

People’s care was provided by kind and caring staff and people told us they treated them with respect. People's individual risk assessments and care plans reflected individual needs and were reviewed regularly.

The provider worked in partnership with other agencies to make sure people received the right care and support.

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 had access to sufficient supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and received regular updates from the provider on the management of risks related to COVID-19.

Rating at the last Inspection

At the last inspection this service was rated as requires improvement (Published 15 April 2020)

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about 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.

Unit 15 Rosehill Business Unit is a domiciliary care agency providing a range of services including personal care for people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection the provider was supporting nine people who were

receiving 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

There were staff recruitment procedures in place, but these were not always being followed. Although the registered manager was requesting references they were not always being received. Where references were not forthcoming from previous employer, alternatives were not being sought.

We have made a recommendation about staffing and recruitment procedures.

People's needs were assessed prior to them receiving care and support but they often lacked detail to identify risks and what action staff should take to minimise risk.

Care plans lacked detail in how to provide personalised care to people. Relatives reported staff often changed and this meant some staff may not always know how to care for a person.

Where complaints had been received it was not always clear what action the provider had taken in response and what the outcome was.

Staff did not always have spot checks carried out by senior staff to ensure they were supporting people as correctly. Where competency checks were carried out they were not always recorded. People did not receive a rota so was unaware of which staff would be supporting them and when.

Although there was a governance framework in place, it was not always used effectively and did not always support quality processes. Following the inspection the registered manager sent us information to show how they had started to make improvements in the areas identified during the inspection.

People mostly received their medicines as prescribed, however, it was not always clear when potential errors were identified what action had been taken to minimise future risk.

The provider had robust systems in place to identify and report on safeguarding concerns. They worked closely with the local authority when concerns were raised with them.

People were supported to access health professionals. People's consent to care and treatment was sought and recorded, where they were able to do so. 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.

There was no one receiving end of life care, however there was evidence where they had provided end of life care in the past this had been done with care and compassion. The provider also had a policy in place to ensure people were supported and they would liaise with other agencies.

Rating at last inspection

This is the first inspection for this newly registered service.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based upon the service's registration date.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

For more details, please see the full report which on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk