We carried out a review of the data available to us about Home Instead Wembley on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Home Instead Wembley, you can give feedback on this service.
Home Instead Senior Care is a domiciliary care agency registered to provide personal care to people in their own homes. The service provides support to people of all ages and different abilities. At the time of our inspection the service was providing care and support to a total of 37 people, of which 16 people received personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Feedback from people who used the service and relatives was consistently good. People told us they felt safe when being cared for by caregivers and this was confirmed by relatives we spoke with. People and relatives were complimentary about caregivers and the service. They told us that caregivers were caring, patient and respectful. They also told us that the service was professional and well run.
Positive relationships had been developed between caregivers and people they supported. People told us calls to their home were never missed and that caregivers usually arrived on time. Consistency was an important aspect of the care provided. The majority of people told us they received care and support from the same group of caregivers.
We looked at medicines management in the service. We found there were occasions where caregivers were not always accurately recording on Medication Administration Records (MARs) if medicines were being administered and MARs were not always completed fully using the key codes. The service had audits in place to check the completion of MARs. However, we found instances where audits failed to clearly detail what the issues were with regards to the completion of MARs. We raised this with the nominated individual and the registered manager and they explained that they would take immediate action in respect of this.
Systems were in place to help ensure people were protected from the risk of abuse. There were appropriate policies in place. People were protected from abuse by caregivers who understood how to identify, and report abuse concerns.
Assessments were carried out to ensure people's needs could be met. Where risks were identified, there was guidance in place for caregivers to ensure that people were safe.
Comprehensive recruitment processes were in place and the service carried out appropriate checks so only caregivers who were suitable to work with people using the service were employed.
Caregivers had completed a comprehensive induction programme, mandatory training and other training relevant to the needs of people. They were supported through regular supervisions and a yearly appraisal to ensure they performed their roles effectively.
People were supported in making healthy lifestyle choices for themselves and to maintain good health. Caregivers supported people to access healthcare services and liaised with health and social care professionals promptly when required.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People's needs had been assessed and each person had a detailed care plan which reflected their care and support needs. People using the service were involved in the development of their care through regular review meetings.
All caregivers we spoke with told us they enjoyed working at the service and they were well supported by the management team. Staff felt valued, motivated and were committed to the people they were supporting. The service held quarterly team meetings and at each session, a 'Caregiver of the Quarter' award was given to a caregiver who went the extra mile to help and support their client.
The service had a comprehensive system in place to monitor the quality of the service being provided to people. This involved telephone calls, regular visits and a questionnaire. Quality assurance systems and processes included audits looking at key aspects of the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 4 July 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.
There was a registered manager in post. 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 service was registered with the CQC in June 2016. This inspection on 25 May 2017 was the first inspection for the service.
People who used the service spoke positively about the care provided. They told us they felt safe around care workers and were happy with the care provided by care workers and management at the service.
Systems and processes were in place to help protect people from the risk of harm. Care workers had received training in safeguarding adults and knew how to recognise and report any concerns or allegations of abuse. The service was part of an external initiative called “Friends Against Scams”. This is a National Trading Standards scam initiative which aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams.
Risk assessments were in place which detailed potential risks to people and how to protect people from harm. Risk assessments included detailed information about preventative actions that needed to be taken to minimise risks as well as clear and detailed measures for care workers on how to support people safely.
We checked the arrangements in place in respect of medicines. Care workers had received medicines training and policies and procedures were in place. We looked at a sample of Medicines Administration Records (MARs) and found that there were no unexplained gaps in these. The service had a medicines audit in place.
There were comprehensive and effective recruitment and selection procedures in place to ensure people were safe and not at risk of being supported by staff who were unsuitable.
The service had an electronic system in place to monitor care worker’s punctuality. People told us their care workers turned up on time and they received the same care worker on a regular basis and had consistency in the level of care they received. Management at the service explained that consistency of care was an important aspect of the care they provided.
Care workers had the necessary knowledge and skills they needed to carry out their roles and responsibilities. Care workers were provided with an extensive induction which provided practical training. Care workers also received on-going training. Care workers spoke positively about their experiences working for the service. They told us that they received continuous support from management and morale amongst staff was positive.
Care workers were aware of the importance of treating people with respect and dignity. Feedback from people indicated that positive and close relationships had developed between people using the service and their care worker.
Care plans provided information about people’s life history and medical background. There was a detailed support plan outlining the support people needed with various aspects of their daily life such as personal care, continence, eating and drinking, communication, mobility, medicines, religious and cultural needs. Care plans detailed people’s care preferences, daily routine likes and dislikes and people that were important to them. Records showed when the person’s needs had changed, the person’s care plan had been updated accordingly and measures put in place if additional support was required
Daily communication records were in place which recorded visit notes, daily outcomes achieved, meal log and medication support. The registered manager explained that these assisted the service to monitor people’s progress.
A complaints procedure was in place. People spoke positively about the service and told us they thought it was well managed and raised no concerns.
There was a clear management structure in place with a team of care workers, the registered manager and nominated individual. Care workers spoke positively about the management and culture of the service and told us the management were approachable if they needed to raise any concerns.
We spoke with management about the aims of the service and the nominated individual explained that they aimed for the service to grow in a slow and controlled manner where they can ensure that the standard of care is high.
Staff were informed of changes occurring within the service through staff meetings. Staff told us that they received up to date information and felt able to raise issues without hesitation during these meetings. They told us that there was an open culture at the service.
Systems were in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service. The service had a comprehensive system in place to obtain feedback from people about the quality of the service they received through review meetings, telephone monitoring and home visits. The service had their own “quality assurance process” which included a next day courtesy telephone call after a new client started receiving care from the service, followed by a visit by a member of staff after four weeks of receiving care, followed by three monthly visits by management.
The service undertook a range of audits of the quality of the service and took action to improve the service as a result. Audits had been carried out in relation to care documentation, staff files, medicines and training.