Background to this inspection
Updated
11 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 checked 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.
Inspection site visit activity started on 9 February 2018 and finished on 19 February 2018. It included visits to the provider’s office location and telephone calls to people who used the service and staff. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice of the inspection site visits because we needed to make sure someone would be available at the office location.
The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector. An expert by experience made calls to people on 12 February 2018. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of service. Their area of expertise was in care of older people.
As part of planning our inspection, we contacted the local Healthwatch and local authority safeguarding and quality performance teams to obtain their views about the service. Healthwatch is an independent consumer group, which gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We reviewed information we held about the service, including the notifications we had received from the provider. Notifications are changes, events or incidents the provider is legally obliged to tell us about within required timescales.
The provider had not been requested to complete a Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
During the inspection, we reviewed a range of records. These included three people's care records containing care planning documentation and daily records. We looked at three staff files relating to their recruitment, supervision, appraisal and training. We reviewed records relating to the management of the service and a wide variety of policies and procedures.
During the inspection process, we spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager. We also spoke with four people who used the service and one relative to gain their views on the service provided.
Updated
11 April 2018
HAS Directorate Office – Whitby Hospital is a domiciliary care service providing support to older people in Whitby and surrounding areas. It provides a reablement service to people for up to six weeks.
Inspection site visit activity started on 9 February 2018 and ended on 19 February 2018. At the time of this inspection, the service was providing support to 10 people.
At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and on-going monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.
There was a manager in post who had registered with the Care Quality Commission. They assisted throughout the inspection process.
Safe recruitment processes had continued to be followed. Staff had received extensive safeguarding training and were familiar with the process they needed to follow if they had any concerns. Assessments had been completed when any risks were identified and these were regularly reviewed. Staff had received medicines training although at the time of this inspection were not currently providing support in this area. All staff were provided with personal protective equipment to promote good infection control practices.
New staff were required to complete an induction when they joined the service. People were supported by a regular team of competent staff who had completed extensive training, relevant to their role. Staff received supported through a regular system of supervisions and one to one discussions.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. Staff had good working relationships with other health professionals and sought advice and guidance where needed.
People told us, without exception, that they were well cared for. Staff demonstrated a positive regard for what was important and mattered to people. Staff and people were clear the main aim of the service and support provided was to help people regain their independence.
People confirmed they were actively involved in the planning of their care. Care plans had been developed and clearly detailed the outcomes people wanted to achieve. People told us they knew how to make a complaint. The provider had a complaints policy in place which people received when they joined the service.
A range of quality assurance processes were in place to monitor and improve the service. The registered manager attended meetings, presentations and training courses to ensure they kept up to date with best practice guidance. Staff told us the registered manager was approachable, responsive and listened to any ideas for areas of improvement. People were asked to provide feedback on the service and were confident any concerns raised would be promptly addressed.
Further information is in the detailed findings below