We carried out a review of the data available to us about Helping Hands Harlow on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Helping Hands Harlow, you can give feedback on this service.
Helping Hands Harlow is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. At the time of the inspection 24 people were 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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People and relatives spoke positively about the care and support they received from staff. However, we received mixed feedback about whether there was enough staff available and relatives did not always feel there was adequate communication or engagement from the provider.
Staff told us they did not always feel valued or supported in their roles. The registered manager told us the service had gone through a period of change with staff leaving and new staff being recruited but the service was now becoming more settled.
Risks to people’s safety had been assessed and reviewed and there were processes in place to protect people from the risk of abuse. People received their medicines as prescribed and people’s care plans detailed how they liked to be supported with their medicines. People were protected from the risk of infection and the provider had followed appropriate guidelines to manage the risk of COVID-19.
People told us the staff were kind and caring. People’s care was personalised and reflected their individual preferences. 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.
Staff had received an induction and training relevant to their role and the registered manager monitored this to ensure training remained up to date. The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service and worked effectively alongside other health professionals to meet people’s needs
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 5 March 2020 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection as the service had not been rated.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner