Helping Hands Halifax

Updated 3 April 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:

The service was inspected by one inspector.

Service and service type:

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own home.

At the time of this inspection the service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. However, the provider was actively recruiting for a new registered manager. Like the provider, a registered manager is 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 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection:

We sought feedback from partner agencies including the local authority and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. No concerns were raised about this service.

The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

During the inspection:

We spoke with four people who used the service to understand their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with the regional manager, quality assurance manager, a care coordinator and one care worker.

We reviewed a range of records. This included care plans and records related to the quality, safety and management of the service.

Updated 3 April 2020

About the Service:

Helping Hands Halifax and Huddersfield is a domiciliary care service that was providing personal care to 20 people living in their own homes, at the time of the inspection. The service primarily supported adults aged over 65 but can also support adults aged under 65.

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:

Before a person started using the service, their needs were comprehensively assessed, including information about people’s personal preferences.

Staff working in the service were confident with difference. Equality and diversity training had been provided. Staff talked with us about how they would always seek to get to know a person when they first started using the service including relationships that were important. This helped to shape how care and support would be provided in a way that was personalised to the individual.

Staff received effective induction, training and supervision to ensure they were skilled and competent to carry out their roles. Staff told us that they felt supported.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People who used the service had been fully involved in developing their own care plan and were involved in agreeing any changes with staff. Staff were knowledgeable about people's needs.

There were sufficient numbers of staff to meet people’s needs. People told us they received care and support when they needed it and staff were punctual and did not rush.

The provider had well established systems and processes which sought to protect people from the risk of abuse. Staff received safeguarding training and knew how to recognise and respond to signs of abuse. People who used the service told us they felt safe.

Where support with medicines was part of an assessed care need, these were managed safely. This included systems for ordering, storage, administration and disposal.

Systems for audit, quality assurance, and questioning of practice were operated effectively.

Helping Hands was a values-based organisation which created a culture that was open, honest, inclusive and transparent. People who used the service were consistent in describing the local branch in these terms.

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

Rating at last inspection:

This service was registered with us on 06/03/2019 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected:

This was a routine planned inspection.

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.