Background to this inspection
Updated
24 March 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 inspection was carried out by two inspectors.
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 is required to have 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. At the time of our inspection, there was no registered manager in post. We met with the manager who had applied to the Care Quality Commission to become registered manager of the service.
Notice of inspection
We gave the provider 48 hours' notice of our intention to undertake an inspection. This was because the provider delivers a domiciliary care service to people in their own homes, and we needed to be sure that someone would be available in the office.
What we did before the inspection
Before the inspection visit, we reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included information about incidents the provider must notify us of, such as any allegations of abuse. We also sought feedback on the service from the local authority. We used all of this information to plan our 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 judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We spoke with the manager, compliance business partner, regional care director, area care manager and e-learning manager. We reviewed a range of records at the provider’s office. These included four people's care records, staff training records, incident and accident records, three staff recruitment records and medicines records. We also reviewed selected policies and procedures, complaints records and records relating to the management of the service.
After the inspection
We spoke with five people, one relative and three community health and social care professionals about their experiences of the care provided. We also spoke with a care and training practitioner and six care staff.
Updated
24 March 2020
About the service:
Helping Hands Worcester is a domiciliary care service that provides personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection visit, the service was mainly supporting older people who may have physical disabilities and/or dementia. 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 our inspection, 35 people were using the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People felt safe around the staff who provided their care. Staff had training on their role in protecting people from harm and abuse. The risks associated with people’s care were assessed, reviewed and managed. People received a reliable and consistent service from staff who underwent appropriate pre-employment checks. People had the level of support needed to safely manage their medicines. The provider took steps to protect people, staff and others from the risk of infections. The provider monitored any accidents or incidents involving people who used the service and sought to learn from these.
People’s individual needs and requirements were assessed with them before their care started. Staff had training and ongoing management support to enable them to succeed in their job roles. People had support to prepare meals and drinks where they needed this. Staff helped people access professional medical advice and treatment if they were unwell. 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 adopted a kind and caring approach towards their work. People and their relatives were supported to express their views about the care they received. People were treated with dignity and respect by staff and management.
People’s care plans were individual to them and encouraged a person-centred approach. People and their relatives understood how to complain about the service. Staff understood the need to work with community healthcare professionals to assess and address people’s end of life care needs.
People felt management and staff at the provider’s office were approachable and took their views on board. Most staff felt well-supported and valued by management. The provider used quality assurance systems and processes to monitor and drive improvement in the quality and safety of people’s care.
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 re-inspection 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.