Background to this inspection
Updated
28 May 2021
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 conducted by one inspector. An Expert by Experience supported the inspection by making telephone calls to people who used the service and their representatives. 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 had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 18 May 2021 and ended on 19 May 2021. We visited the office location on 18 May 2021.
What we did before the inspection
We looked at all the information we held about the provider, including notifications of significant events.
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We met the registered manager, one of the company directors, and an external consultant who was supporting the provider. We looked at the care records for eight people who used the service, medicines records for eight people, records of staff recruitment, training and support for five members of staff and other records used by the provider for managing the service. These included meeting minutes, policies and procedures, audits, records of complaints and records of communication with stakeholders.
After the inspection
We received feedback from 19 care workers. We spoke with three people who used the service and the relatives of 15 other people by telephone.
Updated
28 May 2021
About the service
Ami Home Care Limited is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to people living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection, 52 older people were using the service.
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 using the service received personalised care and support which met their needs and reflected their preferences. They told us they had been involved in planning their care and were happy with the support they received.
People told us the staff were kind, caring and respectful. They offered people choices and respected their decisions. Senior staff had liaised with relevant external professionals and commissioners to help make sure people received the right support and equipment from others when needed.
Risks to people's safety and wellbeing had been assessed and planned for. People were encouraged and supported to be independent where they were able to be, and risks were managed in order to help protect them and the staff who were caring for them.
People received their medicines in a safe way and as prescribed. The staff had a good understanding about their healthcare needs.
The provider recruited suitable staff and made sure they received the support, training and supervision they needed to care for people safely. The managers made regular checks on the staff to assess their skills. The staff told us they felt supported and able to discuss their work with the management team.
Systems for monitoring and improving the quality of the service were operated effectively. The registered manager and management team carried out a range of audits and checks. They responded appropriately to adverse events, such as complaints and safeguarding alerts. They also asked stakeholders for their feedback about the service. We saw they had adapted and improved the service in response to this monitoring.
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.
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 the service was good (published 18 October 2018).
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.