Autumn Years Care

Updated 17 February 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection was carried out by an 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. This inspection took place on 9 and 10 January 2018 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service to people in their homes; we needed to be sure that someone would be in.

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service and the service provider. The registered provider had not completed a Provider Information Return (PIR) as this had not been requested. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We looked at the notifications we had received for this service. Notifications are information about important events the service is required to send us by law.

We spoke with six people and one relative. We looked at three people’s care records and medicine administration records (MAR). We observed staff supporting three people in their homes. We spoke with the registered manager, carers manager, operations manager and four support staff. We reviewed a range of records relating to the management of the service. These included five staff files, quality assurance audits, minutes of meetings with staff, incident reports, complaints and compliments. In addition, we reviewed feedback from people who had used the service and their relatives.

Updated 17 February 2018

We undertook an announced inspection of Autumn Years on 9 and 10 January 2018.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. It provides a service to older people and younger adults in and around Oxfordshire.

At our last inspection on 18 and 22 April 2016, we asked the provider to take action and operate effective recruitment procedures to ensure that information specified in Schedule 3 was available. These concerns were a breach of regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. On this inspection on 9 and 10 January 2018, we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of this regulation.

At the last inspection, the service was rated requires improvement in the safe domain and good overall.

At this inspection, we found the service remained Good overall.

Why the service was rated Good:

People who were supported by the service felt safe. Staff had a clear understanding on how to safeguard people and protect their health and well-being. People received their medicines as prescribed. There were systems in place to manage safe administration and storage of medicines.

The service had robust recruitment procedures and conducted background checks to ensure staff were suitable for their roles. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs.

People had a range of individualised risk assessments in place to keep them safe and to help them maintain their independence. Where risks to people had been identified, action had been taken to manage the risks. Staff were aware of people’s needs and followed guidance to keep them safe.

People continued to receive effective care from staff who had the skills and knowledge to support them and meet their needs. People were supported to have choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the procedures in the service supported this practice. People were supported to access health professionals when needed and staff worked closely with people's GPs to ensure their health and well-being was monitored.

The service continued to provide support in a caring way. People were involved in decisions about their care needs and the support they required to meet those needs. Staff supported people with kindness and compassion. Staff respected people as individuals and treated them with dignity.

The service continued to be responsive to people's needs and ensured people were supported in a personalised way. People's changing needs were responded to promptly. People were supported to have access to activities of their choice in the community.

People knew how to complain and complaints were dealt with in line with the provider's complaints policy. People's input was valued and they were encouraged to feedback on the quality of the service and make suggestions for improvements. Where people had received end of life care, staff had taken actions to ensure people would have as dignified and comfortable death as possible.

Autumn Years was led by a registered manager who promoted a service that put people at the forefront of all the service did. There was a positive culture that valued people, relatives and staff and promoted a caring ethos. Staff told us they worked well as a team and felt valued. The registered manager led by example.

The registered manager monitored the quality of the service and looked for continuous improvement. There was a clear vision to deliver high-quality care and support and promote a positive culture that was person-centred, open, inclusive and empowering, which achieved good outcomes for people.