This inspection took place on 10 July 2017 and was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a home care service and we wanted to make sure someone would be available to speak with us. The agency was first registered with CQC on 23 September 2013. On 16 December 2015 the agency was taken over by the current provider and on 22 June 2016 the agency had changed their location from Harrow Business Centre, 429-433, Pinner Road, North Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 4HN to the current one. This was the first rating inspection of the agency.
Equicare is a domiciliary care agency that provides personal care and support to people living with dementia, learning disabilities and mental health conditions, as well as older people with physical disabilities or sensory impairments. On the day of our inspection, the agency provided support to 51 people out of which 22 were receiving personal care.
The agency had assessed risks to the health and wellbeing of people who used the service, however, not all identified risks had risk management plans in place to guide staff on how to support people in minimising these risks.
Staff received regular training, however, we found that staff did not always have a good knowledge and understanding around safeguarding of adults and children and the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
Some of the agency’s auditing systems were not fully effective in monitoring all the areas of the service provision to identify areas for improvement so these could be addressed.
People using the service told us the agency had helped to protect them from harm and abuse. The majority of people said they felt safe with staff that supported them.
Staff received regular supervision, spot checks and other informal support to help them carry out their roles effectively.
Records showed that people’s care had been planned in their best interests and staff asked for people’s consent before providing the care and support.
The provider had an appropriate recruitment procedure in place and there were sufficient staffing deployed to support people in meeting their care and support needs.
People received their medicines as prescribed and staff were sufficiently trained to administer medicines safely.
Staff supported people to have sufficient food and a nutritious diet and they ensured people had access to external health professionals if people’s health deteriorated.
People using the service told us staff provided care that was kind and compassionate and they were willing to go beyond what was agreed in people’s care plans to meet people’s changing needs.
Staff had supported people to be independent and encouraged them to make decisions about their care and treatment.
Staff respected people’s dignity and privacy and they sought people’s consent before providing personal care.
The agency had assessed people’s care needs and preferences and gathered information which was used to develop people’s plans of care. Staff had access to these plans and were able to use information recorded there when providing support to people.
Staff supported people to follow their interests and take part in social activities and various community events.
The agency had a complaints procedure in place and people and their relatives knew what they could do in case of any concern and complaints they might have had about the service they received.
The provider supported people using the service and where appropriate their relatives in sharing their experience of the care and support provided by the agency.
The majority of the staff we spoke with thought the agency was well-led and they felt supported by their managers. Staff worked well as a team and there was an ongoing and effective communication between the staff and the managers.
We found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 in relation to safe care and treatment and we made two recommendations related to additional training for staff around safeguarding adults and children and the Mental Capacity Act 2005.