We carried out a review of the data available to us about Helping Hands York on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Helping Hands York, you can give feedback on this service.
Helping Hands York is a domiciliary care service which is registered to provide personal care to people living with dementia, eating disorders, learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder, mental health and people who misuse drugs and alcohol. At the time of the inspection the service provided support to 43 people.
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 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.
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.
Care provided was person centred. People were encouraged to get out and about in their communities and were supported to visit the office. Staff held weekly themed meals where people and staff mingled and enjoyed each other’s company. People and their relatives told us they were very happy with the service provided.
People received safe care and support because systems and processes in place ensured any risks were safely managed by staff, and their needs met with minimal restrictions in place. Staff had received training and clear guidance was followed to help people to understand how to remain safe from avoidable harm and abuse.
Medicines were managed and administered safely. Records confirmed people had received their medicines as prescribed.
People were involved in their care planning. Records were person-centred and evaluated consistently. Where agreed outcomes were not achieved, amendments were made with people's input.
Staff received appropriate induction, training, and support and applied learning effectively in line with best practice.
People knew the manager by name and told us they trusted them. Staff told us the registered manager worked tirelessly and promoted innovative ways to support people to live full lives and enjoy achievable outcomes.
Quality assurance remained a priority. The area manager had oversight of checks carried out on the service to maintain standards and drive improvements.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Requires Improvement (published 19 December 2018). There were no breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found significant improvements had been made.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Helping Hands York on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
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.
Not everyone using Helping Hands York receives a regulated activity; Care Quality Commission 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. At the time of inspection 59 people were receiving a regulated activity.
The service was registered on 20 October 2017 and this was the first inspection. The announced inspection started on 6 November and ended on the 8 November 2018.
There was a registered manager in post at the time of inspection. The registered manager was not present at the inspection. The area manager, head of home care and quality assurance lead attended to help with the inspection. 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.
Risk assessments had not been consistently completed. There was an on-call system in place in the event of emergencies. However, staff told us this was not always answered. We received mixed views on the staffing levels. People told us calls were sometimes late and missed. The service was in the process of developing their call monitoring system. Accidents and incidents had been monitored and lessons learned from these. People were supported with their medication, however there was some recording errors.
Audits were not consistently completed, and did not pick up some concerns identified at this inspection. People told us communication needed to improve within the organisation.
Staff had been recruited safely and received effective induction, ongoing training and supervision. People were supported with their health care needs when required. People were supported with their nutritional needs.
People who used the service were positive about the care they received and how caring the staff were. People’s privacy and dignity was respected. Confidential information was protected and securely stored.
People and their relatives had been involved in their assessments. Care plans included person-centred information. People were supported to attend social activities if it was part of their care package. The service put on a variety of events for people at the office.
Surveys had been carried out to gain feedback from people who used the service and staff. People told us the registered manager was approachable. The service was developing links with the local community.