Background to this inspection
Updated
25 October 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. 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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
Our inspection was completed by 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 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.
We gave the service 48 hours notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider, registered manager or their representative would be in the office to support the inspection. The registered manager was unavailable. The quality manager supported this inspection.
Inspection activity started with a visit to the office location on 26 September 2019 followed by the expert by experience making telephone calls to people who used the service on the 3 October 2019.
Before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. This included details about incidents the provider must notify us about, such as abuse. We checked for feedback from local authorities and commissioning bodies.
During the inspection
We spoke with three people who used the service and four relatives. We spoke with two members of staff and the quality manager. We reviewed three people's care records, three staff personnel files, audits and other records about the management of the service.
Updated
25 October 2019
About the service
Healthcare Support Services Limited is a domiciliary care service providing care and support to people in their own homes. They were providing a service to 26 people at the time of the inspection. 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 were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People’s care was safe because systems and processes in place ensured any risks were safely managed by staff. Staff understood how to support people to remain safe from avoidable harm and abuse.
People and their relatives told us they were satisfied with the service provided. Staff understood the importance of providing person-centred care and had developed good relationships with people.
Medicines were managed safely. People received the right medicine at the right time.
People were involved in their care planning. Records were reported to be undergoing changes, with their format being revaluated as part of the provider’s quality monitoring process.
People were confident if they had any complaints the registered manager would address them appropriately.
Staff received appropriate induction, training, and support and applied learning effectively in line with best practice.
Staff were friendly and polite and took time to get to know people. They had a clear understanding of, and how to support, people's individual and diverse needs.
The provider completed records to ensure quality assurance remained a priority and was effective in
driving improvement.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 14 April 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
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.