Figtree House Care Ltd

Updated 22 February 2022

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 telephone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.

Inspection team

This inspection was undertaken by one inspector.

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 we needed to be sure that the service was able to share documents electronically. Inspection activity started on 1 February 2022 and ended 8 February 2022.

What we did before the inspection

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 reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. Prior to our inspection, we had received some concerns relating to management, training and support provided to care workers. We had sought assurances from the registered manager relating to these concerns. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

This performance review and assessment was carried out without a visit to the location’s office. We used technology such as video and telephone calls to enable us to engage with people using the service and staff, and electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation.

Inspection activity took place on 1, 3, 4, 7 and 8 February 2022. During this time, we reviewed records securely sent to us by the service including the care records of six people who used the service and records relating to staff recruitment, training, complaints, policies and procedures and audits. We spoke with the registered manager and quality manager and received electronic and telephone feedback from seven people who used the service, 10 relatives and 12 staff members including care workers. We also received electronic feedback from three professionals who work with the service, including social care professionals and training provider.

Updated 22 February 2022

About the service

Figtree House Care Ltd is a domiciliary care service registered to provide the regulated activity ‘personal care’ to people living 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 our inspection there were 56 people receiving personal care support from the service.

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

We received positive feedback from people using the service and relatives about the care and compassion showed by the care workers and registered manager. Feedback from staff was complimentary about the registered manager and how they felt supported in their role.

The service had systems in place which were designed to keep people safe from abuse and avoidable harm. Where incidents had happened, these were learned from and actions taken to reduce them happening in the future. The management team kept the support people received with their medicines under review, which meant any shortfalls could be addressed.

There were enough care workers to undertake visits and the registered manager advised they continuously recruited care workers. There were systems in place to undertake staff recruitment safely. Care workers were provided with training to meet people’s needs and their performance was monitored through feedback from people using the service, spot checks and supervision. Care workers were provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce the risks of cross infection and training in infection control.

Prior to using the service, people’s needs, and risks were assessed. People’s care plans included guidance for care workers on how people’s needs were to be met and any risks reduced. The care plans and risk assessments were kept under review and people’s views and preferences were listened to.

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.

The management team worked with other professionals involved in people’s care and supported people to access health care professionals, where required. Where people required support with their dietary needs, this was included in their care plans.

The registered manager undertook a programme of audits in the service, which supported them to identify shortfalls and address them. The views of people, relatives and staff were sought and used to improve the service. There was a complaints procedure in place and complaints were responded to and addressed in line with the procedure.

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 20 April 2018 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This inspection was undertaken as the service had not yet been inspected.

Follow up

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

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 telephone calls to engage with people using the service as part of this performance review and assessment.