Background to this inspection
Updated
24 March 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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection team consisted of 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 he 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. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. We visited the office location on 30 November 2021.
What we did before the inspection
Prior to the inspection we reviewed information and evidence we already held about this service, which had been collected via our ongoing monitoring of care services. This included notifications sent to us by the service. Notifications are changes, events or incidents that the provider is legally obliged to send to us without delay. This information helps support our inspections.
During the inspection
We spoke with two relatives of two people who used the service to help us understand the experience of people who could not speak with us. We spoke with the registered manager and four care workers. We reviewed two care records of people using the service, two personnel files of care workers and other records about the management of the service.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We received information relating to the provider’s governance systems and some care records. This information was used as part of our inspection.
Updated
24 March 2022
About the service
Harlesden is a domiciliary care service which provides personal care and support to people in their own homes. At the time of the inspection there were two people using the service. 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
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.
People told us they were protected from the risk of harm and abuse. There were effective systems and processes in place to minimise risks. Care workers had been recruited safely and they knew how to identify and report concerns.
People received person centred care. Their assessments showed they had been involved in the assessment process. Their care files contained meaningful information that identified their abilities and the support required. They told us they were happy with the care they received.
Care workers were knowledgeable about people’s needs. They had completed essential training and we saw from records they were up to date with it. They could describe to us how people liked to be supported.
People were protected from the risks associated with poor infection control because the service had processes in place to reduce the risk of infection and cross contamination.
There were governance structures and systems which were regularly reviewed. There was a complaints procedure in place, which people’s relatives were aware of.
Quality assurance processes such as audits and spot checks were in place. However, the service is aware quality assurance processes needed to be fully developed to ensure the registered manager has proper oversight of the quality and safety of the care when the service expands. We found the registered manager to be knowledgeable about issues and priorities relating to the quality and future of the 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 18/08/2020 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on our inspection scheduling.
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.