Archived: About Care Services

Updated 20 July 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 announced comprehensive inspection on 23 May and 4 June 2018, was carried out by an inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because it is a small service and we wanted to be certain the registered manager and key staff would be available on the day of our inspection. We also wanted to give them sufficient time to make arrangements with people so that we could visit them in their homes to find out their experience of the service.

As part of our inspection planning, we requested that the provider complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. This was received from the provider. We also reviewed information we held about the service including feedback sent to us from other stakeholders, for example the local authority and members of the public. Providers are required to notify the Care Quality Commission (CQC) about events and incidents that occur including unexpected deaths, injuries to people receiving care and safeguarding matters. We reviewed the notifications the provider had sent us.

Inspection activity started on 23 May 2018 and ended 11 June 2018. The inspector visited the office location on 23 May 2018 and 4 June 2018. We spoke with the provider who is also the registered manager, the deputy manager and four care workers. We reviewed the care records of four people to check they were receiving their care as planned. We looked at records relating to the management of the service, staff recruitment and training, and systems for monitoring the quality of the service.

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On 4 June 2018 with their permission, we visited two people in their homes and spoke to one person’s relative. We also spoke with a member of care staff. Some people had complex needs, which meant they could not always readily tell us about their experiences. They communicated with us in different ways, such as facial expressions, signs and gestures and used communication aids. We observed the way people interacted with the care staff.

On 29 May 2018 we carried out telephone interviews and spoke to two people who used the service and one relative. After our visits we spoke with two care workers on the telephone and received electronic feedback from two community professionals and two members of care staff.

Updated 20 July 2018

About Care Services provides both 24 hours live in care and support as well as planned visits to people living in their own homes. Not everyone using About Care Services receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

This service was registered on 16 March 2017.This was their first inspection.

At the time of this announced comprehensive inspection of 23 May 2018, there were nine people who used the service. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because it is a small service and we wanted to be certain the provider who is also the registered manager and key staff would be available on the day of our inspection. We also wanted to give them sufficient time to seek agreements with people so that we could visit them in their homes to find out their experience of using the service.

A registered manager was 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.

People and their relatives had developed good relationships with the care workers and management team. People received care that was personalised and responsive to their needs. They were able to express their views and care staff listened to what they said and ensured their decisions were acted on.

People’s care records were accurate and reflected the support provided. Care workers consistently protected people’s privacy and dignity.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and care workers supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Procedures and guidance in relation to the MCA were followed which included steps that the provider should take to comply with legal requirements.

Systems were in place to minimise the risks to people, including from abuse, mobility, nutrition and with accessing the community. Care workers understood their roles and responsibilities in keeping people safe.

Recruitment checks were carried out with sufficient numbers of care workers employed who had the knowledge and skills through regular supervision and training to meet people’s needs.

Where people required assistance with their medicines, safe systems were followed. Care workers were provided with training in infection control and food hygiene and understood their responsibilities relating to these areas. Systems were in place to reduce the risks of cross infection.

The service worked in partnership with other agencies. Where care workers had identified concerns in people’s wellbeing there were systems in place to contact health and social care professionals to make sure they received appropriate care and treatment. Where required, people were safely supported with their dietary needs.

There was a complaints procedure in place and people knew how to voice their concerns if they were unhappy with the care they received. People’s feedback was valued and acted on. The service had a quality assurance system and shortfalls were identified and addressed. As a result, the quality of the service continued to progress.