Background to this inspection
Updated
5 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
The inspection was carried out by one inspector. An Expert by Experience made calls to people who used the service and relatives following the site visit to ask their views on the service provided. 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 did not currently have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. The previous registered manager had left the service in December 2020. The registered manager and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. The provider had made the decision to take over the role of manager and had submitted an application to register with CQC.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 15 April 2021 and ended on 22 April 2021. We visited the office location on 15 April 2021.
What we did before the inspection
We looked at information we held about the service such as notifications we had received from the provider. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. We sought feedback from the local authority contract monitoring and safeguarding teams prior to our visit. 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
During the inspection site visit we looked at a range of documents and records related to people’s care and the management of the service. We viewed two people's care and medication records, four staff recruitment, induction, supervision and training files and a selection of records used to monitor the quality and safety of the service.
We also had discussions with the provider, who is also the nominated individual and the administrator. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
After the inspection
We contacted four people who used the service and five relatives to gain their views and feedback on the service provided. We also contacted three staff via telephone. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at additional quality assurance records relating to infection, prevention and control management.
Updated
5 June 2021
About the service
Stay Independent at Home Scarborough is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats to predominantly older people living in and around the Scarborough area. At the time of this inspection, 17 people were using the service.
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 told us they felt safe and staff were, without exception, kind, caring and friendly in their approach. Safeguarding processes were in place and staff were knowledgeable about how to raise any concerns. Additional measures had been put in place to ensure people and staff remained safe during the Covid pandemic, in line with government guidance.
Staff were familiar with the risk associated with people’s health conditions and the environment but this information had not always been recorded. We have made a recommendation about risk assessing.
Medicines were administered safely. Audits had identified some shortfalls with regards to administration instructions; this was being addressed at the time of the inspection.
Safe recruitment processes were in place and followed. New staff completed a thorough induction and were given shadowing opportunities. Relevant training had been provided to staff and staff told us they were very well supported by the provider.
Care plans contained person-centred information that focused on the individual and their likes, dislikes and preferences. Staff had taken action to ensure people received support from professionals to maintain their health and independence. People’s wishes with regards to end of life care had not been considered or recorded. We have made a recommendation about end of life care planning.
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. Signed consent was in place.
People knew how to raise any concerns or complaints and spoke positively of the provider and staff team. The provider visited people on a regular basis to ensure they were happy with the service provided.
A number of audits were used to monitor the quality and safety of the service provided. These had been effective in highlighting any shortfalls. The provider had an improvement plan in place that was reviewed and updated on a regular basis.
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 15/08/2019 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the date the service registered with CQC.
We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe sections of this full 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.