PillarCare Agency

Updated 16 September 2022

The inspection

We carried out this focused 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

This inspection was carried out by a single 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.

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 manager in post who was undergoing the registration process with CQC.

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 manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

The inspection took place on 26 July 2022.

During the inspection-

We received feedback from two relatives and two care staff about the agency. We also spoke with the manager (who was undertaking registration with CQC), the nominated individual and the head of human resources.

We looked at a sample of risk assessments and care plans, focusing on risks of potential pressure ulcer areas developing, for five people and their medicines administration records.

Updated 16 September 2022

About the service

PillarCare agency provides support and care for people in their own homes across several London boroughs, predominantly in north, west and south west London.

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

Systems were in place to protect people from abuse. These included safeguarding policies and appropriate training for staff.

Personalised risk assessments were compiled around each person’s specific care and support needs. This helped to keep each person safe and supported their independence.

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.

Safe recruitment procedures were detailed. The suitability of staff was assessed before they were recruited or started to care for people using the service.

Suitable infection control practices helped to prevent and control the spread of infections in people’s own homes, including COVID-19.

People received consistent care from regular care staff who had a good understanding of their care needs and preferences.

Most people received support from live in care workers and for those that had care staff visit at different times of day the agency verified that care staff were punctual and stayed the agreed amount of time.

Quality checks monitored the care and support using a live database system so that the care being provided and recorded could be seen in real time. Improvements to the service were made when deficiencies were found.

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was Good (Published on 18/01/2018). This rating has not changed as a result of this focused inspection and the service continues to be rated good.

Why we inspected

This was a focused inspection that examined areas of safe and well-led due to concerns received about pressure area care. Based on our inspection of these areas we found that the service had taken the necessary action to respond to the concern raised and clarified the work undertaken by care staff.

Please note that the legal entity of the service provider has changed since our previous inspection, although the service remains the same in terms of the location and the care service provided.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

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