Hope Health Kare Limited

Updated 24 February 2023

The inspection

We carried out this performance review and assessment under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act). We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements of the regulations associated with the Act and looked at the quality of the service to provide a rating.

Unlike our standard approach to assessing performance, we did not physically visit the office of the location. This is a new approach we have introduced to reviewing and assessing performance of some care at home providers. Instead of visiting the office location we use technology such as electronic file sharing and video or phone calls to engage with people using the service and staff.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one 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 houses and flats.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ 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.

Inspection activity started on 7 February 2023 and ended on 16 February 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since they registered with CQC. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. 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

We spoke with 3 people who used the service and 6 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 4 members of staff including the registered manager, care coordinator and care workers. We reviewed a range of records. This included 3 people’s care records and medication records. We also reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.

Updated 24 February 2023

Hope Health Kare Limited is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to people living in their own homes.

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 20 people were receiving personal care.

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

Systems in place to monitor the service were not always effective. Some concerns we identified had not been previously identified. There was no evidence people were harmed and concerns were predominantly in relation to record management. However, systems required embedding in to practice.

The provider had systems in place to ensure people received their medicines as prescribed. However, documentation was not always clear making it difficult to check if people had received their medicines in a timely way. We found no evidence people had been harmed and the registered manager took appropriate actions to address these concerns. Risks assessments were in place to identify any areas of support which may pose a risk. Some risk assessments lacked detailed information to ensure people received safe care.

Staff and people told us they had access to personal protective equipment (PPE) and used this where required. The provider had an accident and incident policy and analysed incidents to ensure reoccurrences were reduced.

The registered manager and staff informed us they had DBS checks and references prior to commencing work. Staff confirmed they were supported by the registered manager and received appropriate training to help them carry out their role effectively.

People’s needs were assessed when people commenced a care package with the company. This identified the person’s needs and how they preferred their support to be delivered.

People and their relatives told us they received support from care workers who knew them well and offered kindness and compassion. People were involved in their support and had been included in their care planning.

The registered manager had a complaints process in place. People told us the staff were friendly and approachable and they would inform staff if they had any concerns.

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

Rating at last inspection

The service registered with us on 30 October 2022 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.