Archived: Carewatch Lewisham

Carewatch Lewisham is a domiciliary care service. It provides care to people living in their own homes. At the time of our inspection they were supporting 100 people. The agency is registered to provide services for children, younger adults and older adults with a range of needs including physical disabilities, autism and dementia.

People’s experience of using this service

People and their relatives spoke highly of the service they received. They told us they were receiving good care from reliable staff who listened to them and understood their needs. A relative told us, "The carer is lovely, a diamond… some do more than they have to."

People told us they felt safe and they were cared for by staff who were well-trained and understood how to protect them from abuse and the risks they faced.

People were promoted to live independent, confident lives and take risks in a positive way. They had continuity of care from reliable staff who knew them well.

Some of the assessments and support plans we looked at during the inspection did not reflect the detailed knowledge that staff had of the people they supported, however the service had already identified these issues and reviews had been planned.

Medicines were being managed well and staff followed good infection control practices.

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.

There was a positive culture of person-centred, high quality care throughout the organisation. Staff told us they enjoyed working here and that they were well supported by the management team.

People and their relatives told us that when things went wrong they were comfortable in contacting the office and that they would be listened to. People who had raised concerns in the past said their concerns had been dealt with appropriately.

The management team was committed to maintaining high standards and there were robust quality assurance systems in place.

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 28 February 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.

The service had a registered manager. 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.

Staff knew how to keep the people they supported safe. They had received training in protecting people from abuse and understood their responsibility to report any concerns. There were processes to minimise risks to people’s health and well-being. Risks were identified and managed well. The provider used appropriate systems to carry out checks of the suitability of staff to work with people who use the service. There were sufficient numbers of staff to support people.

People received the support they required to take their medicines. Staff were competent to manage and administer people’s medicines safely.

Staff described the registered manager as approachable and supportive. They received an induction when they started working for the service and completed training to support them in meeting people’s needs effectively. Staff received regular supervisions and an appraisal and used feedback to improve their practice. People were supported to access healthcare services as required. They received the support they required with eating and drinking.

People were placed at the centre of decisions made about the care and support they received. Staff knew people well and understood how to respond to their individual needs. Information about people and assessed risks was available for staff to refer to in their care plans. Care plans were person centred and written with the person's involvement. There were support plans in place to guide staff on how to support people in line with their needs and identified risks. People were involved in the regular reviews of their care. People were supported to remain as independent as they were able.

The registered manager and staff understood and supported people in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People who may lack mental capacity were given appropriate support to understand and make decisions relating to the care and support they required. People’s consent was sought prior to care being provided. Staff demonstrated kindness and compassion towards the people they supported.

People and their relatives knew how to raise concerns or make a complaint if needed. Records showed complaints were investigated and resolved in a timely manner in line with the provider’s policy.

The registered manager had a clear vision for the service which staff understood and shared. There were systems to monitor and review the quality of service people received and to understand the experiences of people who used the service. This was through regular communication with people and their relatives, annual quality surveys and audits undertaken at the service. Suggestions for change were listened to and actions taken to improve the service.