Archived: Homecare 4u NorthWest

Homecare 4U is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to provide personal care to people in their own homes in the community. This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. Not everyone using Homecare4U receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. They provide support to adults who live in the Stockport area. At the time of the inspection the service supported 102 people in their own homes.

There was a registered manager at the service. 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.

We received positive comments from people who used the service (clients are the term used by the registered provider for people receiving a service), relatives and staff. All of the clients and relatives we spoke with told us they felt safe in the care of the staff who worked for Homecare4U. Clients told us they usually had the same staff team supporting them. This meant that staff knew the people they provided care and support to very well.

We found there were enough staff to make sure people received the care needed. Clients and relatives told us care workers were generally on time. The provider had an effective system in place to monitor the staffing levels against the needs of people who used the service.

Staff were given appropriate support through a programme of face to face training, regular supervision, spot checks of their work and an annual appraisal. Staff said the training provided them with the skills and knowledge they needed to do their jobs.

Staff were recruited following a safe and robust process to make sure they were suitable to work with vulnerable people.

Clients' care plans contained up to date, detailed information about their care and support, including risk assessments and action plans. Risk procedures had been revised and improved to minimise the risk of harm to people using the service with improvements to recording the management of risks. People were involved in the planning and review of their care, this information was held in files at their home. Clients told us how information they shared with staff was included in their care file and helped the staff to understand what help they needed.

The complaints procedure was explained in the 'service user guide' which was provided to people when they started with the service. Clients and their relatives told us they knew how to raise a concern. The provider had an effective system in place to investigate and respond openly to complaints.

The registered provider and registered manager used a variety of methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service. These included regular reviews with clients and spot checks whilst staff carried out their caring duties and care reviews. We found some records had not been updated with the dates and staff names/signatures to show the record had been updated and by whom.

We saw appropriate actions were taken in response to any accidents/ incidents and previous safeguard investigations. The service had investigated them to consider potential causes of any injuries, and took appropriate actions to reduce any future potential risk. Evidence showed the provider has mitigated the risks appropriately and steps taken had reduced likelihoods of those risks occurring. However the registered manager recognised they needed to submit notifications of incidents to CQC in a timelier manner.

Homecare 4U are registered to provide personal care. People are supported with their personal care needs to enable them to live in their own homes and promote their independence. At the time of the inspection the service supported 103 people in their own homes.

There was a registered manager at the service. 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.

Some improvements were needed to ensure that staff had sufficient skills and knowledge to enable them to carry out their role effectively.

Improvements were needed to ensure people felt able to contact the management staff when they needed to. The registered manager had started to make improvements, but we were unable to assess if these were effective.

Staff and the registered manager understood their responsibilities to keep people safe where abuse may be suspected.

People's risks were assessed. Staff knew people's needs and carried out support in a safe way whilst they ensured that people's independence was promoted.

There was a system in place to monitor incidents and accidents and actions had been taken to lower the risks and ensure people were protected from the risk of further occurrences.

There were enough suitably qualified staff available to meet people's assessed needs. The provider had an effective system in place to monitor the staffing levels against the needs of people who used the service.

We found that people's medicines were managed and monitored in a way that kept people safe from harm.

People consented to their care where they were able to. When people were unable to consent mental capacity assessments had been carried out to ensure people received care that was in their best interests.

People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts and staff understood people's nutritional needs and preferences when they supported people with their diet.

People were supported to access health professionals and referrals for advice were sought by the registered manager, which ensured people's health and wellbeing was maintained.

People received support that was kind and caring. People were enabled to make choices about their care and people's dignity was maintained when they received support from staff.

People were involved in the planning and review of their care, which was planned and carried out in a way that met their preferences.

People told us they knew how to complain and the provider had an effective system in place to investigate and respond to complaints.

Feedback was sought from people and staff, which was acted on by the registered manager to make improvements to the quality of care people received.

Effective systems were in place to assess, monitor and manage the service.