We carried out a review of the data available to us about YourLife (Northampton) 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 YourLife (Northampton), you can give feedback on this service.
YourLife (Northampton) is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people living in their own apartments. The service provides support to older people and people with dementia, physical disability and sensory impairment. At the time of our inspection there were five people using the service.
People using the service lived in their own apartments within a shared building. There was a communal lounge, games room and dining room available for people who wished to use them and meals could be provided on site.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The provider’s quality monitoring systems were not always followed and manager audits had not consistently identified gaps or inconsistency in record keeping.
There was no registered manager in place at the time of the inspection, a manager had been recruited who was planning to register with the Care Quality Commission.
Systems and processes protected people from the risk of abuse. People felt safe with staff and had developed positive relationships. Staff were confident in recognising the signs of abuse and how to report it.
Risk assessments were completed and updated regularly. Measures were in place to mitigate risks and staff told us these reflected people’s current needs. Positive risk taking was supported.
There were enough staff in place to meet people’s needs and preferences. Recruitment checks took place to ensure staff suitability for the role.
Staff felt well supported and received regular supervision and skills monitoring.
Medicines were managed safely by trained and competent staff who supported people’s independence in this area as much as possible.
People were protected from the risk of infection. The provider had ensured the latest government guidance was communicated with staff and followed.
Accidents and incidents were managed safely. Staff were trained in how to manage an accident or incident, they were appropriately recorded, monitored and action taken to prevent reoccurrence.
People’s feedback was sought and listened to. People were supported to be actively involved and engaged in their care and the local community. People’s independence and choice was supported.
The provider and management team worked with other health and care professionals where required, to ensure good outcomes for people.
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 requires improvement (published 11 December 2019)
Why we inspected This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
We had concerns in relation to the safety and management of the service. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.
For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good based on the findings of this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for YourLife (Northampton) on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.
Yourlife (Northampton) is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to older people living in their own homes within an assisted living development. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection nine people were receiving personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Improvements were needed to medicine management and oversight of records and audits.
People told us they felt safe and staff knew them well. Staff had been recruited safely and the necessary checks had been completed. The provider had policies and systems in place to safeguard people from abuse and they followed the local safeguarding protocols.
People told us staff were kind and caring and that they had a good relationship with staff. However, people and staff told us they felt there currently wasn’t enough staff on duty. The provider had recruited additional care staff at the time of inspection, however they were still within their induction phase.
Staff were supported by the registered manager and felt valued as workers. Staff received training in line with the providers policies, however not all staff thought the training was comprehensive enough for staff who were new to care.
People were involved in completing their care plans which detailed how they wanted to be supported. Potential risks to people had been identified and strategies implemented to keep them safe. People had consented and signed their records.
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; however the policies and systems in the service did not support this practice.
Staff supported people to access healthcare services when appropriate and made referrals as required to the relevant professionals such as, occupational therapy, GP’s and district nurses.
Staff respected people’s right to privacy and promoted people to be as independent as possible. People’s communication needs were known by staff and the manager could provide documentation in different formats to meet people’s needs.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 10 May 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
There was a registered manager at the time of our inspection. 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 received care from staff that were friendly, kind and caring; passionate about providing the care and support people needed and enabling people to remain as independent as possible.
Staff had the skills and knowledge to provide the care and support people needed and were supported by a registered manager who was visible and approachable, receptive to ideas and committed to providing a high standard of care.
People had care plans that were personalised to their individual needs and wishes. Records contained detailed information to assist support workers to provide care and support respected each person's individual requirements and promoted treating people with dignity.
Staffing levels ensured that people received the support they required safely and at the times they needed. The recruitment practice protected people from being cared for by staff that were unsuitable to work in their home.
Staff understood the need to protect people from harm and knew what action they should take if they had any concerns. People told us that they felt cared for safely in their own home. Staff understood their role in caring for people with limited or no capacity under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
The registered manager was approachable and there were systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service provided. Staff and people were confident that issues would be addressed and that any concerns they had would be listened to.