Atkins Care Services Limited

Updated 18 April 2019

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience who made telephone calls to people and relatives. 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:

Atkins Care Services Limited is a domiciliary care agency that provides personal care to people in their homes. CQC regulates the care provided by the agency. 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 less than 24 hours’ notice of the inspection visit to ensure the registered manager would be available. The inspection site visit activity started on 21 January and further analysis of evidence the provider sent to us took place on the 30 January 2019.

What we did:

We reviewed the information we held about the service. This included the previous inspection report, notifications since the last inspection and feedback from the local authority. Notifications are changes, events and incidents that the service must inform us about. We used information the provider sent us in their Provider Information Return (PIR). This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection, we visited the office location on 21 January 2019 to see the provider, registered manager, office staff and two care staff. We also reviewed care records and policies and procedures. We reviewed three people’s care records, four staff files around staff recruitment, training and supervision and records relating to the management of the home. After the inspection we completed telephone interviews with 10 people and three relatives.

Updated 18 April 2019

About the service:

Atkins Care Services Limited a domiciliary care agency that was providing personal care to 80 people predominately aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection.

What life is like for people using this service:

People and their families were at the heart of everything this agency did whether this be carefully matching staff to people or organising a vast array of interesting activities to help people remain active and reduce lonliness. People received an extremely effective service where staff quickly recognised the care and attention they needed and made sure this was provided in a timely and efficient way. This had helped people to stay as well as possible and receive the right support or advise.

People and relatives described staff as exceptionally caring, compassionate and kind. Staff were approachable and friendly with people they cared for and knew them very well. When staff described people, they cared for they were extremely respectful. Three people told us, "She’s like a ray of sunshine coming in.", "I can’t fault the carer, she is more of a friend" and "They lift my spirits when they come in".

Staff also told us that the provider and registered manager cared for them and supported them with their work and any difficulties they experienced whether that be child care or housing.

Staff cared for people in an exceptionally person-centred manner treating each person as an individual. and involving them in their care at every stage. One person told us, “The carer is excellent – young and brings life into me.” Another person said, “I’m very satisfied. They are very caring, very professional.” One more person added, “A great relaxed crew that I am happy to spend leisure time with.”

People told us that they were visited consistently by the same staff, unless due to leave or sickness but even then, they had been previously introduced. They said staff were well trained and experienced, along with being exceptionally caring and compassionate toward them and their relatives. People and relatives said that staff went, ‘the extra mile’ by doing things like caring for someone’s dog when they were in hospital, making sure someone’s garden looked lovely as they knew how much this meant to them at the end of their life. Staff made sure one relative was not left alone the night their family member passed away. Where needed, staff were quick to support people to have access to health care professionals such as a GP, occupational therapist or, when necessary, emergency services.

Care plans were created in partnership with people and relatives to ensure they were person centred and tailored to peoples’ needs, preferences and routines. There was a wide range of individual and group activities on offer including trips and two ‘dementia’ cafes which offered support, teaching and resources advice as well as charity fundraising involving people and relatives. People and relatives commented on how much these activities helped them and how much they appreciated them. They also reduced social isolation and, in some cases, had led to improved health, mobility and wellbeing.

People who received care from Atkins Care Services Limited told us consistently that they felt safe and supported by staff who visited them. Staff were punctual and always stayed for the full visit times.

The service was exceptionally well managed by a supportive and progressive management team. The provider was working towards a goal of being a local resource and education provider which supported people with dementia, their families as well as the whole community. People, staff and relatives were involved in helping the service improve. The provider and registered manager were involved in many local and national initiatives with the aim of improving the standards of care for all, not just for those they directly care for.

More information can be seen in the main body of the report for each Key Question below.

Rating at last inspection:

At the last inspection the service was rated Good. The report was published on 19 August 2016. At this inspection we found the service had made improvements and is now rated as Outstanding.

Why we inspected:

This was a scheduled inspection based on the previous rating. We inspect all services rated as 'Outstanding' every 3 years to ensure that we regularly monitor and review the quality and safety of the service people receive.

We will continue to monitor the service as per our published inspection methodology to ensure that people receive safe, high quality care. Further inspection will be planned as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.