Archived: Care Full Care Limited

Updated 20 October 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check 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.

This inspection took place on 25 and 31 August 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be in. It was undertaken by one inspector and an inspection manager.

Before our inspection we looked at all the information we held about the service including notifications. A notification is information about events that the registered persons are required, by law, to tell us about. We also asked for feedback from the commissioners of people’s care and the local authority safeguarding team.

During our inspection we spoke with five people who used the service and one relative on the telephone. In addition to the registered manager we spoke with one assistant manager and three members of staff.

As part of this inspection we looked at records in relation to keeping people safe from harm and medication administration records. We also checked the care plans and risk assessments for four people. We checked the recruitment/personal files of three staff. We looked at records in relation to the management of the service including audits, complaints and meeting minutes.

Updated 20 October 2016

Care Full Care Limited is registered to provide personal care to people who live in their own homes. At the time of this inspection a service was provided by 15 care staff to 36 people living in the Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire areas.

This announced comprehensive inspection took place on 25 and 31 August 2016. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of our inspection.

The service had a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The visions and the values of the service were put into practice by the management to ensure an open and transparent approach to the way staff were supported.

The provider’s policy on administration and recording of medicines had been followed, which meant that people received their prescribed medicines. The medication policy was being reviewed and updated at the time of the inspection because the information was not appropriate or applicable to the service provided.

People had their needs assessed so that staff knew how to support them to maintain their independence. People’s care plans were reviewed and updated and contained person- focussed information. However, although plans were in place to minimise people’s identified risks these had not always been updated. This meant that people could be at risk because staff did not have the up to date information they needed.

There was a sufficient number of staff available to ensure people’s needs were met safely. The risk of harm for people was reduced because staff knew how to recognise and report abuse. Staff were aware of the procedures for reporting concerns, systems were followed and concerns were investigated.

Staff were only employed after representatives of the provider had carried out comprehensive and satisfactory pre-employment checks. Staff were supported by the registered manager and senior staff through supervisions and staff meetings.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and report on what we find. We found that staff were trained in the principles of the MCA and could describe how people were supported to make decisions. This meant that any decisions made on people's behalf by staff would be in their best interest and that any safeguards put in place would be as least restrictive as possible.

People received care and support from staff who were kind, caring and respectful to them. Staff treated people with dignity and respected their privacy.

People knew how to make a complaint. The provider investigated any complaints and as a result made changes to improve the service.

The registered manager was supported by a staff team that included a number of other managers and care workers. The service had a quality assurance system in place. People and relatives were encouraged to provide feedback on the service and their views were listened to and acted on.