Background to this inspection
Updated
22 May 2019
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: This inspection was carried out by one inspector and one 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. This person had experience of this type of service.
Service and service type: 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: We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection site visit, because the registered manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in. The inspection activity started on 30 April 2019. We visited the office location on 1 May 2019 to see the registered manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures.
What we did: Providers are required to send us key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We reviewed this information to help plan our inspection.
Before the inspection we sent out questionnaires to some people, so they could share with us their experiences of the service. We also spoke with three people, seven relatives, five members of staff, and the registered manager.
We inspected three care plans, and two staff files. We looked at audits and quality assurance procedures relating to the management of the service, which had been developed and implemented by the provider. When commissioners or visiting health professionals have provided feedback, we have included this within our report.
Updated
22 May 2019
About the service: This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. It provides a service to older adults. At the time of the inspection, it was providing care to 26 people.
People’s experience of using this service:
People experienced a reliable service, with personal care delivered by compassionate, kind and well-trained staff. One person said, “I can’t fault them they are very good. Nothing is too much trouble. They are meticulous and always arrive on time. The staff are tremendous and very pleasant. If I need emergency cover they send someone as extra cover. Another person said, “They treat me and my husband with respect. They maintain our privacy. They are brilliant, and we know them all. They are very well trained.”
Staff had a good understanding of people's needs and provided person-centred care which put people at the heart of the service. They continued to find ways of supporting people to have a good quality of life.
People are supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.
People were supported by consistent staff. Enough staff were available to ensure people's wellbeing, safety and security were protected. Robust recruitment and selection process’ were in place.
Staff were provided with an induction and had been trained to ensure they could meet people’s needs.
Positive relationships had developed between people and the staff that supported them. People and their families were involved with care planning and staff knew people well and could explain their histories and personal preferences.
Information included guidance for staff, so they could follow a structured approach to providing person centred care. When people had been supported at the end of their lives, relatives told us, staff were supportive, competent and understanding.
Systems were in place to seek the views of people who used the service and monitor the quality of the service people received. Spot checks, care planning review meetings and audits were carried out on a regular basis.
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 last rated Good. (8 June 2016)
Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up: We will continue to monitor the service through the information we receive, and inspect the service if risk is indicated.