Beaumont Business Enterprise

Updated 24 June 2021

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 and an Expert by Experience. 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 homes.

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 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 17 May 2021 and ended on 19 April 2021. We visited the office location on 17 May 2021 and made telephone calls to people and relatives on 19 May 2021.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. We sought feedback from the local authority. 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 used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with three people who used the service and five relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with ten members of staff including the nominated individual, registered manager, client manager, senior care workers, care workers and an administration assistant.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and medicine records. We looked at three 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.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at various records including training data, quality assurance records and meeting minutes.

Updated 24 June 2021

About the service

Pro-Help Ltd (Beaumont Business Enterprise) is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to people living in their own homes. 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. At the time of inspection there were 25 people who received personal care support.

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

Risks to people’s safety and health were not always assessed and there was limited guidance in place of how staff should provide care which reduced known risks. Medicine administration charts were not always completed accurately. Staff received training for their roles but did not always feel the quality was good enough.

Not everyone who had fluctuating capacity or whose capacity to make specific decisions was uncertain had mental capacity assessments in their care records.

Support visits did not always take place on time and some people experienced a high number of different carers. Care records included information about people's needs and preferences but improvements to some areas were required.

Audits and quality assurance checks took place but were not always effective. Some staff felt communication from the management team needed to improve.

People felt they received safe care. Recruitment processes were followed to ensure staff were suitable for their roles but there were some gaps in information on staff files.

Staff and the management team knew people well and had a good understanding of people’s needs and individual preferences.

People were supported to promptly access health care services when needed. The management and staff team worked in partnership with health and social care professionals to ensure people's health and support needs were met.

People received support from positive and friendly staff. Staff were caring in their approach and had positive relationships with people and their relatives. People were treated with respect. Staff maintained people’s dignity and promoted their independence. Consent was sought before care was delivered.

People and their relatives knew how to make a complaint and felt they could raise issues with the registered manager.

An electronic system had recently been introduced which continued to be embedded into care and management practice.

The registered manager and provider were keen to ensure people received a good quality service and were aware of the improvements needed. The management team were aware of their legal responsibilities and worked in an open and transparent way.

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.

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

Why we inspected

This service was registered with us on 22 March 2019 and this is the first inspection.

Enforcement

We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to monitor the service.

We have identified breaches in relation to safe care and the governance of the service at this inspection.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

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.