Helping Hands Sunderland

Updated 20 August 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

The inspection team consisted of 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 homes.

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 announced the inspection. This was because the inspection took place remotely.

Inspection activity started on 10 June 2022 and ended 5 July 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed the information we had received about the provider since it registered with CQC. We sought feedback from the local authority. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We requested and reviewed care records remotely. We interviewed the registered manager and contacted three staff members by email and telephone. We spoke to seven people who use the service and three relatives of people who use the service.

Updated 20 August 2022

About the service

Helping Hands Sunderland is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection there were 30 people using the service. 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.

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

People and their relatives were overwhelmingly positive about the care they received. One person said, “I have every confidence in the ability of the staff who come, and I trust them.”

Care plans were detailed and included risks assessments. Medicines were managed safely. People were safeguarded from abuse. Effective infection prevention and control systems were in place.

Care was personalised and responsive to people's needs. 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.

Staff received regular training, supervision and appraisal. Staff worked with external professionals to ensure people received the support they needed. The registered manager and provider had effective governance systems in place. Feedback was regularly sought and acted on. Lessons were learnt and shared with staff.

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 21 April 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by the length of time the service had been registered.

Follow up

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