Archived: Fountains Homecare

Updated 13 April 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 1 and 2 March 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the provider is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care and we needed to be sure that they would be in.

Inspection activity started on 1 March 2018 and ended on 2 March 2018. We visited the office location on 2 March 2018 to see the provider and to review care records and policies and procedures.

The inspection was carried out by two adult social care inspectors.

Before the inspection we reviewed other information we held about the service and the provider. This included previous inspection reports and statutory notifications we had received from the provider. Notifications are changes, event or incidents the provider is legally obliged to send to CQC within required timescales.

We also contacted the local authority commissioners for the service, the local authority safeguarding team and the clinical commissioning group (CCG).

At the time of our inspection visit there were six people who used the service. During the inspection we spoke with the provider and a member of staff. We also spoke with two people who used the service and three relatives.

At the location’s office we viewed a range of records and how the service was managed. These included the care records of two people supported by the service, the recruitment records of one staff member, training records, and records in relation to the management of the service including a range of policies and procedures

Updated 13 April 2018

We inspected Fountains Homecare on 1 March 2018. This was an announced inspection. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice.

This service is a domiciliary care agency which provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. At the time of the inspection Fountains Homecare were supporting six people. The provider, one permanent carer and one bank carer provided the support.

Not everyone using Fountains Homecare receives personal care. CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’, help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating.

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 and relatives felt the service was safe. Policies and procedures were in place to keep people safe such as safeguarding, whistleblowing and health and safety. Staff were trained in safeguarding and understood the importance of acknowledging poor practice and reporting their concerns to the provider.

We found that safe recruitment and selection procedures were in place and appropriate checks had been undertaken before staff began work.

Medicines were managed safely. The provider had systems in place to record accidents, incidents and safeguarding concerns. Infection control procedures were followed. Staff had access to personal protective equipment. Plans were in place to cover emergency situations.

The provider carried out assessments before planning support to meet people’s individual needs. . Staff were trained in a range of subjects to meet the needs of the service. Staff were supported and received regular supervision. Referrals to health and social care professionals were made when appropriate to ensure healthcare was monitored.

Staff provided support and guidance with nutritional needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff gained consent before any intervention with the person.

People and relatives felt staff were caring in their approach with people. Staffing rotas were developed to ensure staff had time to complete planned care without being rushed. The culture within the service was one which promoted personalised care tailored to people’s needs. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity ensuring their independence was promoted.

Care plans were individualised and contained information on how to support the person in a person centred way. Plans were in place to meet the person’s physical, mental, social and emotional well-being. The provider used a variety of methods to gain information when developing support plans. For example, information from family members and health and social care professionals. Where ever possible the person and their relatives were involved in how they preferred their support to be delivered.

The provider had a system and process in place to manage complaints. No complaints had been made to the service.

The provider had a quality assurance process in place to ensure the quality of the care provided was monitored. People and relatives views and opinions were sought and used in the monitoring of the service. The provider maintained links with and worked in partnership with organisations to ensure best practice and national guidance was incorporated into the quality of care provided. Staff felt the provider was open, approachable and supportive.