Background to this inspection
Updated
12 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 who visited the office on 29 April 2021 and made telephone calls on 4 May 2021.
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 provider was also providing care and support to people in a supported living setting.
The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means the provider is legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
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.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since it was registered. We sought feedback from the local authority. We did not ask for a 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
We spoke with the provider, two care staff and a professional who worked with the service. We spoke with two relatives of people [who could not talk with us] who use the service about their experience of the care provided. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment. We also looked at daily records and records relating to the management and quality assurance of the service. Following the inspection, the provider supplied us with additional information that we requested.
Updated
12 June 2021
About the service
Resjes Ltd is a domiciliary care agency. People received support in their own homes. The provider informed us they were also providing personal care to people in a supported living setting. Following the inspection, the provider put in an application to add supported living to their service type.
At the time of the inspection, the service was supporting one person in the community and two people in a supported living setting. All were in receipt of the regulated activity of 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
The provider had day to day oversight of the service but lacked robust governance systems which would provide them with assurances that people’s care needs were being delivered safely and effectively.
Risks to people had been identified but the appropriate risk assessments and guidance for staff had not been put in place to ensure people’s care needs were safely and consistently met. Risks in relation the medicine administration had not been assessed. Recruitment of staff was not always robust.
People were supported by a consistent group of staff. Relatives were highly complimentary of the service and the care and support their loved ones received. Relatives told us the provider was approachable and were confident if they raised any concerns, they would be dealt with appropriately.
Staff had access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and relatives confirmed it was worn when caring for their loved ones, in line with the latest government guidance. Staff understood the importance of this and felt supported and valued by the provider.
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.
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. The supported living service looked like a family home and was decorated to reflect this. People were supported to access local amenities. The provider was working to ensure people had personalised care plans which reflected their needs and preferences. The provider was signposted to further guidance regarding supported living services including information on tenancy agreements and ensuring contracts for care demonstrated a clear separation between the delivery of care and the accommodation.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
This service was registered with us on 20 August 2019.
Why we inspected
This was the first rating inspection for the service.
We found evidence the provider needs to make improvements. The overall rating for the service is requires improvement. This is based on findings at this inspection.
Enforcement
We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to discharge our regulatory enforcement functions required to keep people safe and to hold providers to account where it is necessary for us to do so.
We have identified a breach in relation to good governance. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.
Follow up
We will request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.