Archived: Signature Care

Updated 4 May 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 team was one inspector.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It currently provides personal care to people living in their own apartments within a purpose-built block for people over 55 years old.

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 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit. 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 and we wanted to be able to speak with the person who received the service.

Inspection activity started on 29 March 2022 and ended on 1 April 2022. We visited the location’s office on 31 March 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. 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

During the inspection we visited a person and their relative. We visited the office and spoke with the registered manager, a member of staff and a representative from the provider. We looked at records related to the person’s care and the oversight and management of the service. This included a staff file, training records, risk assessments and audits.

After the inspection

We sought further information about the provider’s plans for the service. We received this information on 1 April 2022.

Updated 4 May 2022

About the service

Signature Care provides personal care to people living in their own homes in Signature House Apartments, Dorchester. Not everyone supported by 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 the inspection the service was providing personal care to one person.

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

There was a person-centred culture in the service. The team were proud of their work and sought to ensure they were delivering care in a way that suited the person. The person who received care described that for them this meant they received care from “marvellous” and “respectful” staff.

The person felt safe with staff coming into their apartment to support them. Staff knew how to recognise and report any safeguarding concerns. Risks were assessed and managed and we were told by the person that they were supported safely by the staff. They told us “They all know what they are doing. I trust them implicitly.” Topical medicines were managed safely by trained and competent staff.

We received positive feedback about the provider's infection prevention and control processes. Staff were confident explaining their use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the person and their relative told us staff always wore PPE appropriately.

The person received their care from a small and consistent team of staff who knew them well and understood their needs and preferences. The person appreciated the rapport they had built up with these staff and told us “I get excellent care from them all.” They also told us they had never missed a call and they were told about any changes to time or personnel.

Staff felt very well supported and trained to ensure they had the skills to provide safe, effective and respectful support.

People's needs were assessed before the service began to provide care and support. This ensured that the service was able to identify any personal care needs and this assessment, including the person’s preferences, had informed a clear care plan outlining how staff should deliver care.

The person was supported to have maximum choice and control of their life 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 service was well-led. There was an open culture within the staff team that maintained a focus on the people they supported. The person who received personal care was extremely complimentary about the management and described how their feedback was sought out regularly. Audits and checks were completed to monitor the quality and safety of the service. There were clear processes in place to drive improvement and to continually develop the service in line with the needs of both the person who currently received personal care and others living in the apartment block who may need this service.

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 26 August 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

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

Follow up

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