Background to this inspection
Updated
14 January 2022
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
One inspector carried out the inspection.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
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
This performance review and assessment was carried out without a visit to the location’s office. We used technology such as phone and video calls to enable us to engage with people using the service and staff, and electronic file sharing to enable us to review documentation. We announced the inspection on 9 December 2021, started calls to people, relatives and staff, and reviewing documents on 10 December 2021. We provided feedback to the registered manager on 16th December 2021.
What we did before the inspection
We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with three members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager and a care worker.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We spoke with one person who used the service and a care team leader.
Updated
14 January 2022
About the service
Smeaton Healthcare (Cornwall) is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people with a range of needs, 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 the inspection, two people occasionally received minimal personal care; and two people received personal care every day as well as support to follow interests and/ or social activities.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The service had been operating since October 2020. People and their relatives gave positive feedback about their experience of the service.
People who had large packages of care provided by the service had a team of staff who only worked with them. This had enabled staff to get to know people well and form trusting and caring relationships. Staff's in-depth knowledge of how people communicated and how they liked to spend their time, ensured people had maximum control over their lives and how they spent their time.
Staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; however records did not always show how people’s capacity to make decisions had been assessed.
Staff had received in depth training about people’s specific needs and had spot checks of their competence. People, relatives and staff were confident staff understood risks to people and how to keep people safe; but some details were missing from individual’s risk assessments.
Staff supported people to maintain their health and understood people’s oral health care needs; however, they had not received specific training and people’s needs in this area had not been recorded.
Staff were recruited safely and completed a training programme as well as regular spot checks of their practice. This helped ensure they understood and could meet the needs of the people they supported.
Cleaning and infection control procedures had been updated in line with COVID-19 guidance to help protect people from the risk of infection. Government guidance about COVID-19 testing for people, staff and visitors was being followed.
Staff involved relatives in people’s care and support and maintained regular communication with key professionals. Relatives and staff told us communication with the registered manager, deputy manager and staff was good and they felt supported.
The registered and deputy managers were passionate about providing a high quality, person centred service. They and the provider completed a range of checks and audits on the service which enabled them to monitor its quality. Any areas for improvement were acted upon.
We made a recommendation about meeting the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).
Following the inspection, the registered manager shared evidence that this recommendation had been implemented.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Why we inspected
This service was registered with us on 27/10/2020 and this is the first inspection. This was an ‘inspection using remote technology’. This means we did not visit the office location and instead used technology such as electronic file sharing to gather information, and video and phone calls to engage with people using the service as part of this performance review and assessment.
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.