Age Concern Home Care North Manchester

Updated 23 January 2024

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 an Expert by Experience who made telephone calls to people and their families. 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 provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations. At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

The inspection was announced. We gave the 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the available to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We looked at notifications and information we had received about the service. We contacted the local authority and requested feedback. 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.

During the inspection

During the inspection we spoke with the registered manager, a senior carer and 4 care workers. We spoke with 4 people who used the service and 7 family members. We looked 5 care records relating to care planning, medicines support and risk management as well as 5 recruitment records and staff induction, training, and supervision records. We looked at governance records to monitor and improve the service.

Updated 23 January 2024

About the service

Age Concern Home Care North Manchester is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people living in their own homes. The service provides support to older people and people living with dementia. People who have learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder, physical disabilities and people living with mental health illness. At the time of our inspection there were 107 people using the service.

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.

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 the service and what we found

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

At the time of the inspection, the location did not care or support for anyone with a learning disability or an autistic person. However, we assessed the care provision under Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture, as it is registered as a specialist service for this population group.

People were supported safely, and staff were aware of any risks people may present. The administration of medicines was safely managed. Staff were recruited safely, and staff had sufficient time to ensure they could meet people’s needs. Staff generally arrived at people’s property on time although there was mixed feedback on timings for weekend staff. Staff were aware of infection control policies and had access to person protective equipment such as aprons and gloves.

Staff received an induction, regular training, supervision and spots checks to assure the provider they were competent to undertake their role. People received an assessment which captured their needs and preferences. People were supported to eat and drink and have access to health and social care professionals when required. The provider worked within the framework of the Mental Capacity Act.

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 family members told us staff were caring and provided dignified and kind care. Staff supported people to retain their independence and people felt included in making decisions about their care and felt in control. Family members spoke positively of the staff being respectful and increasing people’s confidence.

Care plans captured people’s needs and described what staff needed to do to support people effectively. People were involved in drawing up and implementing their care plans. Staff had the time to read people care plans and were aware of people’s personal preferences and needs. People were supported to remain in their home with staff providing care and support should they be at the end of their life. Complaints were acknowledged and responded to. People and their family members felt comfortable to raise any concerns they had.

Staff felt the registered manager was supportive and provided them with the leadership they required. People and their families felt the registered manager was responsive and were updated about any changes to their care and support. The provider sought feedback about the care provided and aimed to improve on findings which were below expectations. Governance systems were in place to ensure the quality of care provided and continually monitored and assessed.

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 was good (published 18 April 2018).

Why we inspected

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

Recommendations

We recommend that the provider reviews the provision of staffing at the weekends to ensure the staff are providing consistent and timely care to people. We also recommend the provider reviews the care plans to ensure they reflect people's current needs.

Follow up

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