St Elizabeth Care Agency

Updated 17 January 2019

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection activity started on 30 November 2018 when we visited the office premises and ended 13 December 2018 when we gave feedback to the registered manager.

This was an announced, comprehensive inspection 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 service. They assisted us with telephone interviews of people who used the service and relatives where appropriate.

The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because we wanted to be certain the registered manager and key staff would be available on the day of our inspection visit.

As part of our inspection planning, we requested that the provider complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. This was received from the provider. We also reviewed information we held about the service including feedback sent to us from other stakeholders, for example the Local Authority, Healthwatch and members of the public. Providers are required to notify the Care Quality Commission (CQC) about matters relating to people’s safety and the running of the service. We reviewed the notifications the provider had sent us.

The inspector visited the office location on 30 November 2018 and spoke with the registered manager, the deputy manager and four care workers. We reviewed the care records of six people to check they were receiving their care as planned. We looked at records relating to the management of the service, staff recruitment and training, and systems for monitoring the quality of the service.

On 7 December 2018, the inspector and expert by experience carried out telephone interviews and spoke to twelve people who used the service and six relatives. We also received electronic feedback from fifteen relatives, five members of staff and nine community professionals.

Updated 17 January 2019

St Elizabeth Care Agency provides personal care to people who live in their own houses or flats. Not everyone using St Elizabeth Care Agency receives the regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also take into account any wider social care provided.

St Elizabeth Care Agency is a domiciliary care agency and registered to support; older people, younger adults, people living with dementia, people with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder, people with mental health needs, people with physical disability and people with sensory impairment.

At our last inspection on 26 May 2016, we rated the service overall good. The key questions safe effective, caring, responsive and well-led were all rated good. At this inspection on 30 November 2018 we found that the people using the service benefitted from an outstanding caring and well led service. We have rated the service overall outstanding.

This was an announced comprehensive inspection. There were 63 people who used the service and received ‘personal care’. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because we wanted to be certain the registered manager and key staff would be available on the day of our inspection.

Excellent leadership and management was demonstrated at the service. The culture was open and inclusive which meant that people received a tailor-made service which was flexible to their needs. People consistently told us how they were treated with exceptional kindness, compassion and respect.

Without exception, people and their relatives were extremely complimentary about their experience of using St Elizabeth Care Agency. They shared with us numerous examples of how their care workers repeatedly went the extra mile to ensure every element of the care provided was correct and how this had impacted positively on their well-being. People described how they trusted and felt safe with their care workers, who knew them well, encouraged them to be independent and consistently protected their privacy and dignity. Everybody we spoke with said that they would highly recommend the service.

The registered manager demonstrated how their robust quality assurance systems had sustained continual development and improvement at the service. They were clear about their expectations relating to how the service should be provided and led by example. They were fully supported by care workers and an office management team that were passionate and committed to delivering high quality person-centred care to people. Morale was extremely high within the service, staff described being proud to work at St Elizabeth Care Agency.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and care workers supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People’s care records were comprehensive, accurate and reflected the care and support provided.

Systems were in place to minimise the risks to people, including from abuse, and in relation to mobility, nutrition and with accessing the community. Care workers understood their roles and responsibilities in keeping people safe. Where people required assistance to take their medicines arrangements were in place to provide this support safely.

Effective systems had been established to reduce the risks of cross infection.

Recruitment checks were carried out with sufficient numbers of care workers employed. They had the knowledge and skills, through regular supervision and training, to meet people’s needs.

The service continued to provide people with a responsive service. People received care that was assessed, planned and delivered to meet their individual needs. People’s care records were accurate and reflected the care and support provided. Where required there were systems in place to care for people at the end of their lives.

The service worked in partnership with other agencies. Where care workers had identified concerns in people’s wellbeing there were effective systems in place to contact health and social care professionals to make sure people received appropriate care and treatment. Where required, people were safely supported with their dietary needs.

People’s feedback was valued and acted on. The service had a robust quality assurance system where shortfalls were independently identified and addressed. As a result, the quality of the service continued to develop.