Share the Care Limited Office

Updated 24 August 2018

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.

The inspection took place on 17 July 2018 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours' notice of the inspection as we needed to be sure that the office was open and staff would be available to speak with us.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector who visited the agency’s office in Queenborough area of Kent and an expert-by-experience, who made calls to people using the service. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. The expert-by-experience for this inspection had experience in care for older people.

Before the inspection, we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also looked at information we held about the agency, such as notifications. Notifications are changes, events or incidents which the provider is required to tell us by law. We used all this information including the Provider Information Return to plan our inspection.

As part of the inspection, we spoke with the providers who are also the registered managers. We also spoke with the part time administrator, two care workers providing direct support and one team leader. We visited three people who used the service in their homes. We spoke with three people and four relatives on the phone. We also contacted healthcare professionals involved in the service but we received no feedback.

During the inspection visit, we reviewed a variety of documents. These included three people’s care records, which included care plans, health care notes, risk assessments and daily records. We also looked at three staff recruitment files, records relating to the management of the service, such as audits, satisfaction surveys, staff rotas, policies and procedures.

We asked the registered managers to send additional information after the inspection visit, which included staff training record and copies of staff rota. The information we requested was sent to us in a timely manner.

Updated 24 August 2018

The inspection was carried out on 17 July 2018, and was announced.

Share the Care Limited is a domiciliary care agency which provides personal care and support for people living in their own homes. The agency provides care for people in Queenborough area of Isle of Sheppey. This includes older people, people with a learning disability, mental illness, complex needs and people with a physical disability. Not everyone using the service receives a regulated activity of 'personal care.' CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and administration of medicines. Where they do, we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection, the service was providing personal care to 14 people.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Require Improvement. At this inspection, we found the service to be Good.

The service was last inspected on 20 June 2017 when it was given an overall rating of Requires Improvement. At that time, we found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. This was with regards to the provider failing to operate an effective quality assurance system to ensure they assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the services provided. We also made two recommendations. These were in regard to risk assessments, failure to identify people's specific health and care needs, their mental health needs, medicines management, and a failure to follow robust recruitment procedures to make sure that only suitable staff were employed and the promotion of communication with staff.

We asked the provider to send us a plan of action which they returned in the agreed timetable, setting out what they would do to meet legal requirements in relation to the breach. The provider told us that the breach of regulation would be met by the November 2017. We undertook this inspection to check that they had followed their plan and to confirm that they now met legal requirements. At this inspection on 17 July 2018, we found improvements had been made in all areas and the provider was meeting the regulations.

There were two registered managers at the service. The registered managers were also the providers. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Risks were appropriately assessed and mitigated to ensure people were safe. Medicines were managed safely and people had received their medicines as prescribed.

Staff knew what they should do to identify and raise safeguarding concerns. The registered managers knew their responsibilities in relation to keeping people safe from harm.

Effective systems were in place to enable the providers to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service. Accident and incident records were closely monitored, actions were taken in a timely manner to ensure lessons were learnt.

People were happy with their care and support. Staff had built up good relationships with people.

The service provided good quality care and support to people enabling them to live as fulfilled and meaningful lives as possible.

Staff were caring and kind in their approach and had a good rapport with people. People told us they were treated with dignity and respect. People’s privacy was respected.

People were asked about their needs relating to culture, race, religion and sexual orientation in the care plan. This was recorded and staff were aware of this.

There were enough staff deployed to meet people’s needs. The provider continued to operate a safe and robust recruitment and selection procedure to make sure staff were suitable and safe to work with people. Staff received training, which included safeguarding, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and infection control. They also received support and supervision to enable them to carry out their roles safely.

People were encouraged to make their own choices about everyday matters. People’s decisions and choices were respected.

People's care plans clearly detailed their care and support needs. People and their relatives were fully involved with the care planning process. The service had developed care plans which clearly detailed people’s preferences, likes, dislikes, mental health and social needs. Care had been delivered in line with people’s choices. The registered manager reviewed each person’s care with each person on a monthly basis. People were encouraged and supported to engage with activities that met their needs.

People were supported and encouraged to have a varied and healthy diet which met their health needs.

People were supported and helped to maintain their health and to access health services when they needed them. The registered managers and staff maintained good communication with other organisations such as the community nursing service, GP and other healthcare services.

People and their relatives were given information about how to complain. People and their relatives were actively involved in improving the service. They completed feedback surveys and had regular meetings with the providers.

Staff were positive about the support they received from the management team. They felt they could raise concerns and they would be listened to.

The registered managers had built links with other local registered managers and providers who gave support and advice them.