Alves iCare Ltd

Updated 21 October 2021

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out 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 and specialist housing.

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 four days’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. This was as well as ensuring people could consent to us speaking with them.

Inspection activity started on 26 September 2021 and ended on 6 October 2021. We visited the office location on 6 October 2021.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. This included events reported to us, such as deaths. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We received feedback from a social worker, a commissioner of the service and a health professional. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service and three people's relatives. We spoke with five staff including 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 reviewed a range of records. We looked at two people’s care records and two staff files in relation to recruitment and supervision. We also looked at a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including quality monitoring audits, incidents, staff training and supervision planning records and medicines administration records.

After the inspection

We reviewed records in relation to safeguarding allegations.

Updated 21 October 2021

About the service

Alves iCare Ltd is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people living in their own houses or flats. It provides a service to older adults, some of whom are living with dementia, younger people and people with a physical disability. At the time of the inspection nine people were supported by 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

Staff had the knowledge and skills to recognise and report any potential harm to people, or the risk of this occurring. Risks to people were identified and managed well. One relative told us, “Staff risk assess situations and prevent unsafe things from happening." Competent staff administered and managed people’s medicines as well as promoting people’s independence to do this themselves.

A robust process helped ensure enough suitable and skilled staff were recruited safely. There were policies and procedures in place which promoted good infection prevention and control (IPC) practices. One person said, "Staff always put their used gloves, mask and aprons in the bin outside when they leave." There was an open culture and lessons were learned and shared amongst the staff team when things went wrong.

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 approach to people’s care and support was focused on the needs of the person. Staff respected people's choice of communication and upheld confidentiality. This helped ensure every person was treated equally well. People’s care was compassionate, respectful, and staff promoted independence and privacy as much as possible. One relative said, "Staff are always absolutely lovely, they even stayed a bit longer to ensure my [family member] ate and drank something."

Concerns were acted on before they became a complaint and compliments were used to implement good practice. Policies and procedures were in place for end of life care, and staff ensured people’s end of life care was dignified.

The registered manager understood their responsibilities, and supported staff to promote the provider’s values about being open and honest. People, their relatives and staff had a say in how the service was run and managed. Monitoring systems and oversight of the service were effective in driving improvements. The provider worked well with others involved in people’s care to help ensure their care was joined up.

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 03 July 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the date of registration with CQC.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

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.