Background to this inspection
Updated
19 May 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
The inspection was undertaken by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes. Cherish Social Care also operates a shared lives scheme, they recruit, train and support self-employed shared lives carers (SLC) who offer accommodation and support arrangements for vulnerable adults within their own family homes in the community.
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
This inspection was unannounced. 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/registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 29 April 2021 and ended on 07 May 2021. We visited the office location on 04 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 and professionals who work with the 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 one person who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the registered manager and received feedback from three staff members. 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.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We received feedback from social care professionals who worked with the service.
Updated
19 May 2021
About the service
Cherish Social Care is a domiciliary care service providing personal care and support to nine people at the time of the inspection. Cherish Social Care also operates a shared lives scheme which provides people with long-term placements, short breaks and respite care, within shared lives carers (SLC) 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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were safe and protected from avoidable harm because staff knew how to identify and report any concerns relating to the risk of abuse. Risks to people’s health, safety and well-being were assessed and measures developed to remove or reduce the risks. People were supported by staff who had been safely recruited.
People’s medicines were managed safely. Staff received appropriate training and had their competency assessed to help ensure they were sufficiently skilled and knowledgeable to safely administer medicines. Staff had received training in infection control practices and personal protective equipment was provided for them. The management team took appropriate action following any incidents and learning was shared with staff.
Before care delivery started assessments were completed to make sure people’s needs could be met by Cherish Social Care. Staff received training and support to enable them to carry out their roles effectively.
Staff and the management team knew people well and were able to promptly identify when people’s needs changed, and they sought professional advice appropriately. 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.
People and relatives praised the kind and caring nature of the staff team. People received consistent care from a small team of staff. People knew about their care plans and could decide what care and support they needed. People told us they would be confident to raise any concerns with the management team. Everyone we spoke with during this inspection was satisfied with the care and support they received.
The management team was committed to providing a high standard of care to the people they supported as well as the staff team and understood their responsibilities under the Duty of Candour. People, their relatives and staff members spoke highly of the management team and told us that they were always available and supportive.
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 22/02/2019 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This inspection was carried out to check 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.
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.