Background to this inspection
Updated
3 March 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
This inspection was carried out by one inspector, an inspection manager 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 has a manager registered with CQC, who is also the nominated individual for the provider organisation. A nominated individual is a person who is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. As well as the registered manager of the service also being the nominated individual, they are also one of the two directors of the provider organisation. This means they are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided, as well as for the oversight of the service quality and safety. In this report, although the person has multiple roles, we will refer to them as the registered manager.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 12 February 2021 and ended on 19 February 2021. We visited the office location on 18 February 2021.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we held and had received about the service since its registration. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. 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. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with nine people who use the service and 12 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with two members of staff including the registered manager and field care supervisor. We received written feedback from another 12 members of staff. We spoke with one social worker and received written feedback from two commissioners.
We reviewed a range of records. This included ten people’s care records and multiple medicine records. We looked at two 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 looked at survey results and governance information.
Updated
3 March 2021
About the service
Sylviancare Bracknell and Ascot provides personal care to people who live in their own homes in the community. The service offers personal and social care to people within Bracknell, Ascot, Sunningdale, Crowthorne and surrounding areas. At the time of the inspection, the service supported 34 people and 17 staff were employed.
Sylviancare Bracknell and Ascot can support younger and older adults, people living with dementia, people living with learning disabilities and autism and people that may have sensory impairments, physical disabilities or a diagnosed mental health condition.
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
There were several safeguarding events where incidents were previously not adequately reported by care workers and logged or acted on by the registered manager. There was evidence that the service was working together with the safeguarding authority to make improvements. Recent concerns were better recorded and acted on. There was clearer evidence of steps taken to protected people. People and relatives felt the care was safe. People’s medicines were managed safely. There were enough staff deployed to meet people’s needs. Infection prevention and control helped protect people.
Staff had the necessary skills and competency to provide effective care. People’s likes, dislikes and preferences for care were recorded and respected. Community social and healthcare staff were involved in people’s care when required. Consent was obtained and recorded in the right way.
People and families commented that staff were kind and caring. They stated that they were included in the care and that staff promoted people’s independence where able. Staff respected people’s dignity and privacy. People and relatives stated they would recommend the service to others. They stated the care workers had a positive impact on their lives, and some had formed caring bonds.
Care plans were person-centred. They contained the necessary information for staff to provide personal care in accordance with people’s needs. The management of complaints documentation was previously fragmented and hard to follow. The registered manager and field care supervisor had made improvements to keep complaints documentation together and in a clear format.
Oversight of the service’s processes and care provision required some improvement. The registered manager lacked some knowledge and experience in relation to protecting vulnerable adults, the duty of candour and notification requirements. The registered manager acknowledged they needed to undertake further learning in these areas to improve their skills. They already had a plan of how they would achieve this, and there were already some improvements underway. The field care supervisor had completed spot checks of care worker practices. The service had sent surveys to people and their relatives to gather views. The service was proactively working with the safeguarding authority and commissioners to make necessary changes.
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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 30 May 2019 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection.
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.