NCC First Support - Norwich

Updated 12 January 2023

The inspection

We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act). We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements of the regulations associated with the Act and looked at the quality of the service to provide a rating.

Unlike our standard approach to assessing performance, we did not physically visit the office of the location. This is a new approach we have introduced to reviewing and assessing performance of some care at home providers. Instead of visiting the office location we use technology such as electronic file sharing and video or phone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of an inspector and two Experts by Experience, who carried out telephone interviews to people and their relatives to gather their feedback of the service. 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.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. The registered manager was also the provider’s nominated individual, this meant they were legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of this inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because this was a remote inspection and we needed to ensure the management were available to support and could access the electronic file sharing systems.

Inspection activity started on 28 November 2022 when we gave notice and requested information. Telephone calls were made offsite to people, relatives and staff on 8 and 12 December 2022. Inspection activity ended when we had a face to face video conferencing meeting with the registered manager on 22 December 2022 to give feedback.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed our systems and information we held about the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 15 people who used the service, seven relatives and one person’s representative.

We spoke with the registered manager and four members of staff. We received electronic feedback from 17 members of staff and one professional involved with the service.

We reviewed a range of records which included care plans, risk assessments and medication records for six people and five staff recruitment records. We also viewed some of the provider’s policies and procedures, training data, quality assurance records, management monitoring and oversight records.

Updated 12 January 2023

About the service

NCC First Support -Norwich is a domiciliary care service providing personal care and support to people in their own homes. 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 inspection there were 69 people who used the service who received personal care. NCC First Support -Norwich provides a short term reablement service to people following a hospital stay, change in need or circumstances such as an illness or injury. People usually receive support for up to six weeks to help them become more independent. If further care and support is needed this transfers over to another care agency.

This was an ‘inspection using remote technology’. This means we did not visit the office location and instead used technology such as electronic file sharing to gather information, and video and phone calls to engage with people using the service as part of this performance review and assessment.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Feedback about NCC First Support -Norwich from people and relatives was complimentary and they praised the service. One person told us, “I was very happy with the respect shown to me and my home. The staff all had a lovely manner, they seemed well trained, knew what they were doing, I would recommend them.”

The management and staff worked in partnership with people, relatives and other professionals to achieve person-centred care and good outcomes for people.

Risks to people had been assessed and were managed safely. People were supported by a staff team who were safely recruited and knew how to protect them from potential harm.

Staff felt supported and recognised in their role by the management team and there were enough staff to meet people’s needs.

People received their medicines as prescribed and staff adhered to infection prevention and control procedures in line with legislative requirements and recognised best practice guidelines.

People's care records were re-assessed regularly and guided staff on how to assist people safely and promote their independence.

People's choices and preferences regarding their care and support were reflected in their records. Staff understood equality and diversity and ensured people's privacy and dignity was respected.

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 and relatives felt able to raise any issues with the staff and management team and were confident these would be addressed.

Systems to monitor the quality and safety of the service were in place.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The service was registered with us on 13 September 2019 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.