Background to this inspection
Updated
2 July 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 team consisted of two inspectors, one working remotely and one who completed the site visit, an assistant 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 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 a short period notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure the management would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 22 April 2021 and ended on 14 May 2021. We visited the office location on 22 April 2021.
What we did before the inspection
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 judgments in this report.
We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from organisations and professionals who work with the service. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with four care workers and the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records, which included the care and medication records of four people using the service. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision and a variety of records relating to the management of the service.
After the inspection
We spoke with one service user and five relatives of people using the service. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records and reviewed feedback received from the Local Authority (LA).
Updated
2 July 2021
About the service
Potton Services is a domiciliary care service, supporting young people and adults living in their own houses and flats with personal care. At the time of the inspection, the service was supporting 52 people with 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
People and relatives consistently described staff as compassionate and kind. Staff knew people well and expressed commitment to ensuring people received high-quality care.
Risks to people’s safety were assessed and acted on. Medicines were managed safely. There was an open and transparent culture in relation to accidents and incidents and they were used as opportunities to learn and lessen risks.
Staff understood how to reduce the risk of the spread of infection.
People and relatives had confidence in the staff and felt safe in their care. Staff were well supported by the provider and had the skills and knowledge to meet people’s needs. 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 were supported to eat a healthy balanced diet and access relevant health care services.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.
This service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. People received care which focused on their support needs with the primary aim of achieving personal goals and maximising independence. Staff supported people in a kind and friendly manner and ensured people's human rights and dignity were protected. The values and culture of service was open, inclusive and empowered people to make choices about their lives and explore new opportunities.
People had been comprehensively assessed to ensure the service could meet their needs. Information about people’s likes and dislikes and how staff should support them were in place. The service was proactive in its response to concerns or complaints and people and relatives were given the opportunity to feedback their experiences.
The values of the service placed people at the centre of its decision making. There was an open and transparent culture which empowered people and staff to voice their opinions and focused on continuous improvement. Without exception, people and relatives told us the service was well-managed.
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 25/03/2019 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection.
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.