Office NE

Updated 2 February 2023

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 1 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 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

We gave the service a short notice period 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.

Inspection activity started on 24 October 2022 and ended on 24 November 2022. We visited the location’s office on 3 November 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about and from the service since the last 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 the registered manager (who was also the nominated individual) and the quality lead. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We contacted 3 care staff for their feedback.

We spoke with 4 people receiving support and 2 relatives. We reviewed 3 people's support records. We reviewed records and audits relating to the management of the service. We asked the nominated individual to send us documents before and after the on-site inspection. These were provided in a timely manner and this evidence was included as part of our inspection.

Updated 2 February 2023

About the service

Office NE is a domiciliary care agency. The service currently provides personal care to younger and older people living in their own homes. The service is also registered to provide personal care to children, people with a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder, mental health needs, physical disabilities and sensory impairments.

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 8 adults were receiving personal care.

People’s experience of using this 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 service did not care or provide 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.

Right Support

People were supported by a regular team of staff who knew them well. This promoted continuity of care. People were happy with the care and support they received. Staff enabled people to have access to specialist health and social care services. 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.

Right Care

People received consistent care from staff who knew them well. People and those important to them were involved in planning their care. People's needs and preferences were assessed prior to receiving the service. There were enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe. Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. Risk assessments identified and reduced any risks to people and staff.

Right Culture

People received care that was tailored to their needs. The registered manager and care team listened and responded to people's views. Quality assurance and monitoring systems were used to identify shortfalls and improve the service for the people who used it. People were supported to maintain good health, were supported with their medicines and accessed healthcare services when needed. Staff prepared food and drink to meet people's dietary needs and preferences.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 19 January 2022) and there were breaches of regulation.

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

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

Recommendations

We have made a recommendation regarding how the provider records direct observations of staff competence.

Follow up

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