Cavendish Homecare Ltd

Updated 11 November 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 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 houses and flats.

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. The registered manager was also the provider/owner of the company.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced. We announced the inspection to enable staff to ask people, relatives and staff whether they would be happy to speak with us and provide us with their contact details, so we could talk with them before our visits to the office. Inspection activity started on 26 September 2022 and ended on 27 October 2022. We visited the location’s office on 20 and 27 October 2022.

What we did before the inspection

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. 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 used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 4 people, 8 relatives, the registered manager/provider and three staff. Three staff also emailed us with feedback about what it was like to work for Cavendish Homecare Ltd.

We reviewed a range of records. This included records relating to people, staff and the management of the service.

Updated 11 November 2022

About the service

Cavendish Homecare Ltd is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to adults. 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 21 people receiving support.

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

People and relatives spoke positively about the staff. One relative told us, “They always seem to be happy and friendly. They are patient with [relative] and ask her what she wants.”

People were safeguarded against the risk of abuse. People told us they felt safe with the staff who supported them. One person said, “They can be trusted. I trust the carers and the firm. I would recommend them.”

Recruitment had been affected by COVID-19 and the current cost of living crisis. The provider had reduced the areas they covered to ensure they had enough staff to cover people’s needs. Most people and relatives told us that they saw the same staff and they stayed for the correct length of time. One relative said, “They are reliable, consistent and easy to access if you have concerns.”

There was a system in place to manage medicines safely. We identified several issues with the recording of medicines. The registered manager told us this would be addressed. We have made a recommendation about this.

People and relatives told us that staff wore PPE to help reduce the risk of infection.

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 registered manager was strengthening their recording systems around the MCA, to ensure it was clear how staff were following the requirements of the MCA. We have made a recommendation about this.

Staff were suitably supported and trained to ensure they could carry out their roles safely and effectively. Most people told us staff knew what they were doing. Staff supported people to eat and drink enough, where this was part of their plan of care.

People and relatives confirmed that staff were responsive to people’s needs and planned and provided person-centred care. Comments from relatives included, “I think they are responsive. They are very accommodating. They have picked up on any little thing” and “They make sure [relative] is alive and go over and beyond.” Care plans were in place which contained information about people's care and preferences. Reviews were carried out to ensure the care provided, met people's needs. One relative said, “They do what’s asked and seem to follow the care plan.”

Audits were carried out to monitor the quality and safety of the service. The provider was strengthening their medicines recording system. People and relatives spoke positively about service. Comments included, “I would recommend Cavendish for the 100% attention you get” and ““They fit in with me I am happy with the carers.”

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 requires improvement (published 2 September 2021) and there were breaches of regulation in relation to staff training and support, recruitment procedures and quality monitoring processes. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report covers our findings in relation to the key questions safe, effective, responsive and well-led which contain those requirements.

We used the ratings awarded for the caring key question at the last comprehensive inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Cavendish Homecare Ltd on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Recommendations

We have made recommendations in the safe and effective key questions in relation to the recording of medicines and the maintenance of records regarding the Mental Capacity Act (2005). Please see these sections for further details.

Follow up

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