Carebank Healthcare Northampton

Carebank Healthcare Northampton is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of inspection, the service was supporting four 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

Systems in place to monitor the quality, safety and performance of the service needed to be embedded before we could fully assess their effectiveness.

Risks to people’s care were assessed but there was a lack of detailed information for new staff to follow to mitigate the risk identified. We have made a recommendation about risk management planning.

People were cared for safely. Safe recruitment practices were in place and staff understood their responsibilities to keep people safe from harm or abuse. People received their medicines safely and there were effective practices in place to protect people from infection.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The provider was open and honest and listened to people, taking action when necessary. They liaised with other health and social care professionals and were committed to providing person-centred care.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection (and update) The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 8 June 2021) and there were two 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 improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection to follow up on the Warning Notice we previously served in relation to Regulation 17(Good governance).

This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe and Well-led which contain those requirements.

The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions not looked at on this occasion were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service has remained as requires improvement. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Carebank Healthcare Northampton 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.

Carebank Healthcare Northampton is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of inspection, the service was supporting seven 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

Risk assessments were not always in place when a risk had been identified.

Medication Administration Records (MAR) did not demonstrate that people had received their medicines as prescribed.

People were not always protected from the risk of abuse. Not all safeguarding concerns had been reported to the local authority.

Staff were recruited safely. However, recruitment checks were not completed in line with the providers policy.

The provider and registered manager’s oversight of the service required improvement. Audits did not identify the improvements required that were found on inspection.

People were protected against infection. People told us that staff wore appropriate personal protective equipment [PPE].

People were positive about the care they received and received support from a regular staff team.

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 Good (published 5 December 2019)

Why we inspected

We received concerns in relation to the recruitment of staff and management oversight. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.

The overall rating for the service has changed from good to requires improvement. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.

Full information about CQC’s regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Carebank Healthcare Northampton on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Enforcement

We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to discharge our regulatory enforcement functions required to keep people safe and to hold providers to account where it is necessary for us to do so.

We have identified breaches in relation to safe care and oversight of the service.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

Carebank Healthcare is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to older people and adults with learning disabilities, autism and mental health conditions in their own homes.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (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. At the time of the inspection two people received help with their personal care.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People were cared for safely and staff understood their responsibilities to keep people safe from abuse or harm.

Risk assessments were undertaken to identify any risks to people as part of their care and support. People received their medicines safely and there were effective practices in place to protect people from infection.

People were cared for by staff who were caring and kind and passionate about their work. They arrived on time and stayed with people for the time agreed. People’s dignity and privacy was maintained, and people felt in control of their lives.

People had individualised care plans which ensured they received person-centred care. Plans considered people’s preferences likes and dislikes and their cultural and religious backgrounds.

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.

Staff received the training they required and were supported through regular supervision. They liaised with other health and social care professionals to look at ways to improve people's life experiences.

The provider was open and honest and strived to look at ways to improve the service. There was a complaints procedure in place and people knew who they could speak to if they had any concerns.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The service was registered with us on 3rd December 2018 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the date the service was registered with us.

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.