Senacare Services LTD

Updated 30 November 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 worked on site and two inspectors who spoke by telephone with people who used the service, family members and care workers.

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 had 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.

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 or registered manager 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 the service was registered by CQC. 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

We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager and care workers. We reviewed a range of records which included risk assessments and care records for three people who used the service. We also reviewed four staff files in relation to recruitment, accident and incident records, contingency plans and monitoring records.

After the inspection

We spoke with three people who received care and support from Senacare Services LTD about their experience, six family members and two members of staff. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 30 November 2021

Senacare Services LTD is a domiciliary care agency. It provides a service to older people, people living with dementia and younger adults living in their own houses and flats. Not everyone using Senacare Services LTD receives a 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 consider any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection there were 22 people using the service.

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

People told us they felt safe. There were safeguarding adults procedures in place to guide staff. The registered manager and staff had a clear understanding of these procedures. The provider carried out an assessment of people’s care needs before they started using the service to ensure staff could support them safely. There were appropriate recruitment checks before staff started work and there were enough staff available to meet people's care needs. Where required people received safe support from staff to take their medicines.

The provider and staff were following government guidance in relation to infection prevention and control. Staff had received training on COVID-19 and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The service had business continuity and COVID-19 contingency plans in place that made provisions for safe care in the event of an emergency, or an outbreak of COVID-19.

People were supported by staff who were well trained and competent in their role. Staff had received training and support relevant to people's needs. Where required, people received support to maintain a balanced diet. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Those whom we spoke with knew how to make a complaint if they were unhappy with the service. People had access to end of life care and support if it was required.

People were supported by a caring staff team which provided them with continuity of care. We were told how staff encouraged people’s independence, “They support [relative] to go out for a walk, even though it’s a complicated process.” People told us they were treated in a consistently caring and respectful manner and they had been consulted about their care and support needs. They were complimentary about the registered manager and care staff and gave many examples of how the service they received had a positive impact on their life and enhanced their wellbeing. They told us about acts of kindness which were outside the remit of the agreed plan of care. One person said, “[Registered manager] was there for me when my [relative] died, came around to check on how I was doing.” Everyone we spoke with told us they would recommend the service to others, and some had already done so.

There were effective systems in place to regularly assess and monitor the quality of the service people received. Staff benefited from regular supervision, competency assessments and observation in their care visits by the registered manager. Staff said they attended team meetings and received good support from the registered manager. The registered manager took people and their relatives views into account through regular telephone surveys and their feedback was used to improve the service. The registered manager and care staff worked with health care professionals to plan and deliver an effective service.

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 18 March 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection following registration.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner