SC Galaxy Care is a domiciliary care service. The service provides personal care for people living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection, 22 people were using the service. This inspection took place on 6 June 2017 and was announced. This was SC Galaxy Care’s first inspection since their registration with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The service had 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 registered manager and staff did not have an understanding of how to support people in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).
People were not supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did not support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service did not support this practice.
People received their medicines as prescribed. Staff completed training in the safe administration of people’s medicines. However, we found that medicine administration records (MARs) did not always have recorded when a medicine was not given. Since the inspection, the registered manager has sent us evidence demonstrating that they have reviewed the process for medicine audit systems.
Staff were supported by the registered manager. Staff had access to an induction, training, supervision and an appraisal. Newly employed staff underwent an induction and worked with experienced staff. However, we found that staff did not have a training programme in place and staff did not have the opportunity to complete refresher training to enable them to keep up to date with best practice. There was enough staff available to meet people’s care needs. The staff rota showed when two members of staff were required to safely care for people, because of their specific care needs.
The registered provider’s safeguarding policies and processes guided staff to help protect people from abuse. Staff knew the types of abuse, and when to raise a safeguarding alert. People provided consent to staff to receive care and support with their care needs.
Staff identified and managed risks to people‘s health and well-being. Staff developed risk management plans that contained details of the risks and action staff would take to manage them.
The registered manager followed safe recruitment processes. New members of staff had pre-employment checks completed, such as criminal record checks and references from previous employers. This helped to ensure the employment of suitable staff to work with people safely by verifying their identity, skills and abilities.
People’s nutritional needs were met by staff. This helped people to maintain their health and wellbeing. People had meals they wanted and in sufficient quantities. Staff supported people with shopping for food items if they wanted to make meals for themselves.
Health care services were available to people to meet their needs. Staff followed health care professional guidance to help people maintain their health. Consent to care was provided by people before receiving care.
People using the service and their relatives made decisions about the care they received. Assessments included people’s care and support needs. Care was planned and delivered in a way that was person centred and incorporated people’s likes dislikes and personal preferences.
Staff provided care and support to people in a way that showed they respected their dignity and privacy. Staff knew people well including their needs.
People were supported to attend activities of their choice. People were supported to live a life that met their abilities and helped them to maintain some independence. People continued to have contact with people in their lives that mattered to them.
People had regular assessments of their needs. Staff completed regular care reviews with people to ensure the care they received was relevant. People using the service and their relatives understood what actions they needed to take to complain about the care they received. The registered manager kept the Care Quality Commission [CQC] informed of notifiable incidents, which occurred at the service.
The registered manager had clear leadership which staff told us they valued. There was a positive culture within the staff team. Staff we spoke with said they enjoyed their job and were proud to work for the service.
The registered provider had quality assurance systems in place. Staff completed regular checks of the quality of care. People were able to provide feedback of the service and staff underwent regular observations and spot checks to ensure they practiced safely.
We have made a recommendation in relation to staff training and we also found the service was in breach of the regulation relating to consent. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of this report.