Background to this inspection
Updated
28 June 2022
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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience. 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 homes.
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. 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.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 31 May 2022 and ended on 02 June 2022. We visited the location’s office on 31 May.
What we did before the inspection
We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with six people who used the service and three people’s relatives. We spoke with four members of staff, the registered manager and the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We sought feedback from one health professional who works with the service.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people's care records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of other records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
Updated
28 June 2022
About the service
Safe and Sound Homecare Services is a domiciliary care service, providing personal care to people living in Radstock and the surrounding villages.
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. On the day of inspection, 36 people were receiving the regulated activity of personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they felt safe using the service. People were cared for by staff who knew how to keep them safe and protect them from avoidable harm. One person’s relative said, "They make sure [name] is safe when walking.” There were enough staff available to meet people's needs. People told us staff didn’t always arrive at the scheduled time, but they always stayed for the specified period and no visits were missed. People were supported to take their medicines safely. Incidents and accidents were reported.
People's needs were assessed, and care plans were in place. People were cared for by staff who had been trained to carry out their roles and who were knowledgeable about the support people needed. 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 told us they were cared for by kind and compassionate staff. Staff understood the need to respect people's privacy and dignity. Comments included, “I get on so well with them, they are so caring, doing what they should do. I have so much praise for them” and, “The staff do everything I need, they even bring in my dustbin for me.” Comments from staff included, “We all make a difference to people's lives. We're their social visit as well as providing practical support. If clients don’t have family close by, we might be the only person they see. When they say thank you it just means so much.”
Staff were knowledgeable about people's support needs as well as people's preferences for how they wanted to be cared for. People commented, "Everything I ask for they endeavour to do”. Relative’s comments included, “When my [relative] was alive they looked after [them] so well I wanted them to also look after [name].” There was a complaints procedure in place and people knew how to complain if they needed to. Complaints were investigated and resolved satisfactorily.
Quality assurance processes were in place. There was a quality improvement plan in place. Regular audits of all aspects of the service were being undertaken. Positive feedback was received from people. Comments included, “I would recommend them because they are caring, they look after you. They don’t mind you raising a query, they look into it, they don’t dismiss you. You can talk to them about anything.”
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service under the previous provider was Good published on 15 January 2020. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Safe and Sound Homecare Services on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
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.