Archived: Surrey Quality Care Limited

Updated 6 September 2019

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one 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.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission at the time of the inspection. A registered manager and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. The manager was undergoing the CQC registration process at the time of the inspection.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

Before visiting the service, we looked at information sent to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) through notifications. Notifications are information we receive when a significant event happens, like a death or a serious injury. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

During the inspection

We carried out telephone interviews with seven people who used the service and eight relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with three members of staff including the provider and registered manager.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and associated medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We carried out telephone interviews with six care staff.

Updated 6 September 2019

About the service

Surrey Quality Care Limited is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service for older people, some who were living with the experience of dementia, and younger adults with disabilities. At the time of our inspection in August 2019 31 people were using the service.

The agency operated in the Surrey towns of Dorking, Redhill, Reigate and Horley. The service was the only location for the provider, who were a private organisation.

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

People told us they felt safe due to the care and support given by Surrey Quality Care. Hazards to people’s health and safety had been assessed by staff, and plans were in place to minimise the risk of people coming to harm. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities for keeping people safe from abuse. Staff were recruited in a safe way, and the deployment of staff had improved to ensure that carers being late to calls were kept to a minimum. People were supported to have their medicines when they needed them, and staff followed safe practice with regards to infection control.

Peoples needs were assessed before they began to use the service. Staff training and supervision was effective at ensuring staff had the skills and experience to meet people’s needs. Where required staff supported people to have the food and drinks they enjoyed, and guidance was in place to ensure people had enough to eat and drink.

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.

People told us the staff were kind and caring and spent time to get to know them as individuals. Staff involved people in day to day choices about their care and support, and treated people with dignity and respect. Peoples equality and diversity needs were understood and respected by the staff that supported them.

Care plans contained information and guidance for staff in how to provide care and support in the way people wanted. Where complaints had been received these had been investigated and addressed to the satisfaction of the people who raised them. Where people may be being supported at the end of their lives, the preferences and wishes had been clearly documented, and were understood by the staff that cared for them.

There was a new manager in post, who had begun their registration process with the CQC. They had made a number of positive changes which were reflected in the positive feedback we received when we spoke with people who use the service. The positive and open approach by the manager was reflected in staff telling us they felt more supported and were happy in their roles. Quality assurance processes driven by the manager’s focus on continuous improvement were now effective at identifying and addressing issues where positive change was needed.

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 10 August 2018). At this inspection we found improvements had been made to address the recommendations made at the last inspection.

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.