Archived: Unique Superior Care Limited

Updated 1 February 2017

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 7 and 9 December 2016 and was announced and completed by one inspector. 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.

We previously undertook an inspection on 25 January 2016. We found that while improvements had been made in areas relating to the service providing safe, effective, responsive and well led support and care, these new processes had not been in place long enough to show that these were sustainable. This was needed to meet the requirements set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. After the inspection, we stated we would follow up at a later date to ensure the changes were robust.

We undertook an announced inspection visit on 7 December 2016 and spoke with people using the service and members of staff on 9 December 2016. This was to check that the provider had followed their plan of action, to confirm that they now met legal requirements and regulations relating to the standards under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. We also discussed the quality of the service being provided with people using the service. The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

At this inspection when we reviewed the areas for safe, effective, responsive and well led. We found that the improvements evident at our inspection during January 2016 had been sustained, however further improvements are required to further develop and improve care plans..

Before our inspection visit we reviewed information we held about the service. This included previous inspection reports and notifications sent to us by the provider. Notifications tell us about important events which the service is required to tell us by law. We contacted the local authority who had funding responsibility for some of the people who were using the service.

We spoke with three people who used the service, three members of care staff and the registered manager. We also contacted the local authority commissioning team. We looked at the care records of four people who used the service, people’s medication records, staff training records, three staff recruitment files and the provider’s quality assurance documentation.

Updated 1 February 2017

We carried out our inspection visit on 7 December 2016 and spoke with people using the service on 9 December 2016. This inspection 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.

Unique Superior Care Ltd provides personal care and support to people in their own home. At the time of this inspection there were nine people using the service.

The service was last inspected on 25 January 2016. At that inspection we found that improvements had been made regarding the outcomes of safe, effective, responsive and well led to fully meet with regulations under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. After that inspection the report remained as an overall outcome of Requires Improvement. This was to allow time for the provider to demonstrate that their new systems were sustainable and robust enough to maintain an acceptable standard. At this inspection we found that previous standards had been maintained.

The service had a registered manager. 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.

People using the service told us that they felt safe. This was because they trusted staff and felt that they knew their responsibility to keep people safe from harm and abuse.

Risks associated with people’s care had been fully assessed and managed to protect people from harm. The registered manager assessed people’s needs and used this to ensure the correct numbers of staff provided care and support for people. There were improvements being made to strengthen the information for staff action.

Staff had regular training that provided them with the relevant skills they required to meet people’s needs. The provider completed all appropriate background checks that ensured staff had the right skills and were safe to support people. Appropriate numbers of staff supported people appropriately following an assessment of needs.

People were supported in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005. Staff asked for people’s consent to their care and treatment.

Staff supported people to eat sufficient and appropriate meals to sustain their health and well-being.

Staff were kind and treated people with dignity and respect.

Care was centred on people’s individual needs and choices,. Their care plans did not always accurately reflect their changing support needs.

The provider listened to feedback from people using the service and their relatives. People told us that staff acted promptly on their feedback.

The provider had procedures for monitoring and assessing the quality of the service being delivered. The provider had effective procedures to monitor and assess the service in a way that assisted with continued improvements.